Detours
by aciepey
Summary: Bella meets the gang in Forks when she is on her latest assignment as a travel nurse. She loves her nomadic lifestyle, or does she? Is there something, or someone who can convince her to put down roots? AH Canon pairings
1. Chapter 1

**Thanks in advance for taking the time to read my little story. It's my first. **

**Stephenie Meyer owns everything that is Twilight. And the smile of a four month-old baby owns me**.

~*~  
There are no dead ends,  
only detours.  
-J.D. Robb-  
~*~

The drive from Denver to Forks hadn't been too bad, and I had certainly had worse. MapQuest had estimated it at about 1500 miles, and said that it would take 23 hours to get there. In the end, I took some extra time to decompress from the busy time I spent working in the intensive care units at my last job and made the trip in four days. I don't think I will ever tire of a good road trip. No pun intended. When I decided to become a travel nurse a little over 5 years ago, I had a plan to wind my way across the country as I chose my assignments. It seemed like the best way to combine my desire to earn a living and my curiosity about our great country. And it's always good to have a plan. It was about a year after graduating from college when it became apparent to me that while I loved being a nurse, I no longer was in love with the southwest. That's when I found myself taking a job as a travel nurse. It was a pretty good gig. I would go from hospital to hospital, city to city, for three to six months at a time. In addition to setting up each assignment, my agency would find me a place to live, and for the most part, they were flexible when it came time to pull up stakes and head off to the next place. Charlie and Renee, my parents, live in Phoenix, and that is what I consider "home base" in that it's where all of my permanent correspondence is delivered. Home, I tend to think, is actually wherever you are. I have worked in all sorts of environments, from small community hospitals to large university medical centers. I tend to be a bit of an adrenaline junkie, and usually work in emergency departments or intensive care units. Sometimes surgery. I even trained to fly on helicopters when I was in Dallas. Who was I to turn down free training that would make me that much more marketable?

Forks would be my 13th assignment as a traveler. It was a smallish hospital in a small town. Not at all like the urban centers I had worked in over the last three or four moves. Nola, my recruiter, knew that, but told me how they really needed someone who could just go in and start taking care of patients. I was looking forward to a little slower pace, maybe expand my resume a little and learn something new- labor and delivery, perhaps? Sometimes seeing all of the critically ill patients can take its toll on your heart. L & D was a pretty happy environment, for the most part. The miracle of life, rather than the tragedy of death. Nola said that they would be willing to let me float over the whole hospital. Plus learning new stuff fit into the plan. I'm all about the plan.

The past four moves, Charlie and my ex-boyfriend Jacob have made it their job to help me relocate. I drive to the new locale with my U-Haul and my beloved, ancient Land Rover, Rufus, while Charlie and Jacob fly in and meet me. Not my idea of a fun way to spend a three day weekend, but the help was appreciated nonetheless. It was good to reconnect outside the usual holidays, to be sure.

Jacob and I have been friends forever. We endured the awkwardness of adolescence together- first kisses, dating, and eventually losing our virginity in a very cliché prom night kind of way. After high school, we attended Arizona State together. I graduated with my nursing degree, and Jake with his business degree. Somewhere between prom night and Spring Break of our freshman year, however, we decided that our fate was to continue through life as the best of friends. It was a little scary at first, embarking on romance without one another, but we eventually figured it out. I dated a few guys the remainder of our college days, one guy all of my junior year, but my love life mostly had been overshadowed by school and eventually work. Jake had better luck. He has been with Leah for over two years now. She is perfect for him, and more importantly, isn't bothered by the fact that he and I are so close. That has been a blessing for me, because Jacob's friendship is one of the few fixed items in my life, like my books, my satellite radio, or my laptop. He is my best friend, a creature comfort in my constantly changing world. I have found that if I have those things with me, I am comfortable.

As for me, I had my plan. I wanted to travel all over the country, setting foot in each state. I don't know why this was such a burning desire for me, but hey, whatever gets you through the day, right? I only have a handful left, mostly in the Pacific Northwest, along with Alaska and Hawaii. My plan didn't fit in too well with Renee's plan to become a grandmother. She thought that my plan had been compromised in Dallas. She was ready to book the church when I told her that I was extending my assignment there. I was dating Mike, one of the helicopter pilots for the air ambulance outfit where I worked. I was at the end of a six month assignment, and we had been dating for about four of those. I thought I was in love at the time, so I opted to stay on for another three. When I told Mike of my plans, he wasn't as happy as someone who might be in love with me should be, and I was devastated. Apparently, he thought I was there for a good time, not a long time. Just to make him uncomfortable as possible, I stuck out the extra three months there, my friends behind me all the way, being just as supportive as they could. My ability to make friends fast has served me well, and nowhere else have I needed it more than Dallas.

I reflected on all of this as I made my way into Forks in the late Friday afternoon. It was mid-May, and spring was in full bloom. Charlie and Jake would be here tomorrow, driving in from Port Angeles after their flight from Phoenix. Over the years, I had developed a system when it came to relocating that would make an army general proud. Despite all of my organization, it would be nice to have two men around when it came to the heavy lifting.

I had hoped that the agency would find a cute little apartment for me to rent for the six months I would be in Forks. Unfortunately, there were none to be found. Instead, I would be calling a beautiful 110 year-old Victorian home until just before Thanksgiving. It was huge, complete with a lovely covered front porch with swing and a white picket fence. When I pulled into the drive, I was blown away with my new digs.

"You must be Bella," an absolutely stunning blonde said as she walked through the screen door onto the porch. "I'm Rosalie Hale. Your agency and I weren't able to find an apartment here for you in our small town, but fortunately, my boyfriend has been restoring this place, and the timing is perfect for you," she smiled warmly, extending her hand.

"Thanks so much for your help, Rosalie. I know that time away from work is precious, and I really appreciate you coming over to let me in early, " I said, smiling and shaking the hand she offered.

"It's not a problem, really. If I didn't want to be found, I wouldn't have a cell phone. Plus, I really am just down the street," she said, gesturing for me to go inside the house.

"Emmett, my boyfriend, is a contractor and an architect. He has lovingly done all of the research and work on this place," Rosalie continued, walking through the foyer and toward the kitchen near the back of the house. "It was built around 1900 by one of the town's leading businessmen. All of the floors have been restored, along with much of the woodwork. The kitchen was gutted and updated to include everything a chef could want. All of the plumbing and electrical work is new. Upstairs, three bedrooms share a bath, and of course the master suite is to die for!"

I couldn't believe that this place would be my home. The front yard was quaint and landscaped beautifully without being overdone. I hoped I would spend many summer nights curled up with a good book on the inviting swing near the picture window. "Wow, Rosalie, just….wow. This is such an incredible home. We're not far from the hospital, right?" I asked.

"Oh, Bella, this is Forks, not Seattle. You're five minutes from everything, this town is so small. Now I just have a few things for you to sign, and we're done," she said, holding out a pen and the lease.

"Rosie, I have information on the washer and dryer for you, but I have to measure again to make sure they'll fit," a booming voice called from the foyer.

"In the kitchen, Emmett," Rosalie said. "I have someone for you to meet." Rosalie gathered the papers, left a copy for me on the black granite island, and turned to go find her man.

We turned the corner to see a large, muscular man with dark curly hair inspecting some detail over by the fireplace in the parlor. He was wearing a tight t-shirt, faded jeans that hit in all of the right places, and a backwards baseball cap. He might have been menacing had he not cracked a wide smile and revealed the cutest dimples I had ever seen. He reached out his big bear paw of a hand. "I'm Emmett Cullen. I did the work here. You must be Isabella."

I tried not to gawk at how brawny and gorgeous he was. "Yes. Just Bella, though. I have to say, you did a magnificent job on this place. I don't think I would change anything! I really can't believe that I get to live here. Much better than the tiny apartment I was anticipating," I said. "I'll actually be able to cook a decent meal for once."

"I'm glad that you like the place. I wasn't sure about it when Rosie told me that she had the perfect project for me. It was a little rough. I should have known to trust her instincts," Emmett said, embracing and smiling at his girlfriend. It was a simple gesture, but conveyed so much all at once: pride, trust, but most of all, love. These two were soul mates. Somewhere off in the corner of my mind, it registered that perhaps I was missing out on something.

The screen door slammed and we all turned to see an impeccably dressed wee girl with black spiky hair bounce into the foyer, followed by a tall blonde man.

"Hi guys! We saw your cars and thought we'd stop and see what you are doing tonight," the pixie said exuberantly. "You must be the new renter, right?" And before I could answer, she continued enthusiastically. "I'm Alice, Emmett's sister. This is my fiancé, Jasper Whitlock."

"I'm Bella Swan. I'm Emmett's new tenant for the next six months," I said, reaching out to first shake her hand, then Jasper's.

"Why only six months?" she asked. Nobody could ever accuse Alice of beating around the bush. I almost expected to be offended, but wasn't. Her smile and her interest were genuine. I found myself comforted a bit by the forwardness of her question. It was as if we were already friends. And while I was used to explaining about my job, this time, it felt different. I felt a little sad about it, and I wasn't sure why.

"I am a nurse at the hospital. I work for a company that places nurses in jobs for a few months at a time. I'll be here through Thanksgiving or so," I explained.

"That sounds like a fun life," said Alice. "But isn't it hard moving all of the time, though? And having to make friends all over with every move? And not to mention never getting the chance to settle into a new place!" Did I really project that very thought? How did she know I had been struggling with that?

As if he was reading my mind, Emmet broke Alice's interrogation. "Good lord, Alice! Enough with the inquisition, ok? I'm sure Bella is a big girl and knows what she's doing," he grinned at me apologetically. "Sometimes Alice can be _a little bit_ enthusiastic," he offered with a shrug of his shoulders.

Alice playfully hit the giant with one of her teeny fists. "Emmett Cullen, you be nice! I am just curious, that's all." She turned her attention to me once again and spoke apologetically. "Sorry if I offended you, Bella. It's just that I have always lived in Forks, except for college. I travel a lot, but always come home to my closet!"

I raised an eyebrow at that comment. Jasper laughed and explained for me. "Alice owns a boutique downtown, and is always going off here and there to bring high fashion back here to our fair town," he said with a slight southern accent.

Rosalie spoke up, changing the subject. "Let's help Bella move a few of her essentials in so that she can start to make this big, empty place feel more like home."

"Oh, you don't have to do that, guys. My dad and friend are coming in tomorrow from Phoenix to give me a hand. And I really don't have a lot of things. I have learned to pare down the things I deem essential over the years," I said. "If it doesn't fit in Rufus or the U-Haul, I really don't need it."

"You hear that, Alice? Alice's closet is larger than your U-Haul," Jasper said to me, rolling his eyes.

"I don't hear you complaining when I show up looking fabulous as your arm candy, Mr. Whitlock!" Alice said with a sharp look in her eye.

Jasper wrapped his arms around the girl and smiled. "Anyone who thinks that you are merely my arm candy doesn't know what they're talking about, darlin'. You own me, remember?

"And don't you forget it, buddy! Now c'mon, Bella, at least let us get your truck emptied so there's less to do tomorrow. Five sets of hands will make it go quickly. And why do you call your truck Rufus?"

I gave in to their offers of help, and explained that it was a silly tradition in my family to name the vehicles we owned. "When I got my truck, my boyfriend was really into watching Kim Possible on the Disney Channel," I explained.

"Rufus the naked mole rat!" boomed Emmett. He was the last person I would have expected to make the connection. Apparently, everyone else was wondering why he was familiar with the kid's cartoon.

"What? Kim Possible is _hot_," he said with a wicked grin. "That pouty lip and smokin' bod? Kickin' ass all over the place? Nice"

"Emmett Cullen, I'm going to kick _your_ ass if you don't shut it! Poor Bella must think we're all a bunch of freaks! I'm sorry, Bella!" Rose said with an exasperated sigh. "It seems Emmett will never grow up at times." Rose took her man's arm and pulled him to her side with affection. The way they acted, it was clear that Rosalie and Emmett were soul mates. Alice and Jasper, too. I ignored the pang again, wishing it away as I thought about the last time I thought I had found love with Mike.

We emptied my essentials out of the truck. I began to find new homes for my coffee pot, toaster, laptop, and satellite radio setup. After getting the antenna aimed properly for the radio, I tuned in my favorite acoustic music channel and began to feel like the place was already coming together.

"I travel so lightly. I always feel that as long as I have my computer, good music, caffeine, and some good books, I can be comfortable anywhere," I said to Alice.

Alice made a funny face. "Traveling light for me means only two pairs of shoes for each outfit!" I laughed. I could see where any excursion, no matter how trivial, would have to be executed with perfection and a flourish. "You said that your boyfriend named Rufus for you. Is it hard traveling and maintaining your relationship?" Alice asked.

"Alice!!!!" Rosalie reprimanded. "Stop being so nosey!!"

I couldn't help but laugh. "No. Jake and I aren't dating anymore. We're better off as friends. He'll be here tomorrow with my dad to help out. Maybe you can meet them while they're here."

Just then, Jasper came through the door with 2 suitcases. Emmett was following behind him with my air mattress and pillows. "Where to, Bella? Jasper asked.

"Master bedroom, please. Thanks so much, guys! Now I just have to get the vacuum and mop, and everything will be done for the evening. Tomorrow will be a long day."

"When is your first day over at the hospital?" Rosalie asked.

"Not until Tuesday. I have to meet someone named…" I said, looking through my papers, "Lauren in Personnel before I go to the Emergency Department. Hopefully they have all of my paperwork that says I'm qualified to shock you back to life. It makes it a lot easier when nobody drops the ball!"

Alice wrinkled her nose. "Lauren is such a snot. You'll do well to avoid her as much as possible. Right, Rose?"

"Definitely, Bella. She's always up too no good. Is she still trying to get into Edward's pants, Alice?"

Who is Edward? Does he need help with his pants? AAAH! Where did that come from? Get a grip on yourself, Swan! Too much love in this room tonight. It must be messing with my head.

"I think she's finally figured that dog won't hunt. She's moved on to another unsuspecting guy in radiology. Poor fellow." Alice snorted.

"Do you know anyone else that works in the Emergency Department? This is nice to get the inside information!" I said. Anything to make the first day easier.

"You could say that. My dad, Carlisle, is the Head of the department, and my brother, Edward has been an attending there for about a year. He came back here after he finished his residency. And there's Angela. She's a nurse on day shift. You'll probably see them a lot."

"Yeah, stick with Angela. She won't steer you wrong," Jasper said, coming into the parlor where we were separating a few boxes out by their destination.

"Did I mention Edward's single?" Alice said in a sly voice.

The Edward I wanted to help with his pants? The plot thickens.

"Alice!" Jasper and Rose yelled at the same time. "Girl, you have no shame, do you? One of these days someone's going to hand you your ass in your hand after one of your comments!" Rose scolded her friend.

I began to blush. No matter where I went, people were always trying to fix me up. My friends meant well, but I was hesitant after the whole Mike fiasco. I know my mom thinks that I am still traveling because I'm running from any sort of relationship. I think she watches too much Dr. Phil.

"Oh, right. Sorry, Bella! I didn't even stop to think that you might not want to date a gorgeous doctor who lives a few blocks away!" Alice continued, ignoring Rose's idle threat.

Did she say gorgeous? In close proximity to my proximity? I had to slow down. What the hell is my problem? Has it really been that long? Am I that lonely?

"Sorry, Bella," Emmett said. "Despite having two physicians in the family, they can't seem to come up with a cure for Alice's verbal diarrhea." Just then, a pillow flew across the room and smacked Emmett in the head, knocking of his ball cap. The big bear just laughed at his little sister.

I was struck by the closeness of these people. Siblings were always a bit of an enigma to me, being an only child. I watched Rosalie and Jasper as they laughed at their friends. They all had a genuine fondness for one another, it was clear. I found myself drawn to them, like they had been in my life for years. It was a bit of a foreign feeling, after having been on the road for so long. It hadn't really bothered me much in the past 5 years, not having a real home. A permanent fixed address. All of the sudden I felt a lump in my throat and a peculiar stinging sensation in my eyes. I took a deep breath. I must be getting tired. But I've never felt a pull to a place so quickly. Even in Dallas, with Mike, it took me a few weeks to commit to the idea of another three month assignment for the sole purpose of continuing my relationship with him. I screwed with the plan. In doing so, I ended up being hurt terribly, more than I was willing to admit to even myself. I couldn't possibly be thinking that Forks would be the place where the plan was altered again

"Hey, guys. I can't even begin to thank you for your help tonight. Would you all like to come over for dinner on Friday night? It's the least I could do, and I haven't had the chance to cook a big meal in so long. It's like a form of therapy for me. Please say you'll come!"

"Free food? I'm there!" Emmett said, giving Bella two thumbs up.

Alice clapped her hands and jumped up and down in her stilettos. "Oooh! I love a good dinner party! I can't wait!"

Jasper and Rosalie nodded in agreement. Once again, my ability to make friends quickly didn't let me down. "Great," I said. How about 6 o'clock on Friday night? Is Chicken Marsala ok with everyone?"

"It sounds wonderful, Bella. Now, let's get out of her hair, you guys," Rose said as she herded the others to the foyer and onto the porch. "Just call if you need anything. And I anticipate the new washer and dryer to be delivered on Thursday, ok?"

I joined the group on the porch, watching them disperse into their cars. "That'll be fine, Rose. Thanks again for everything. I think I'm going to love it here! It was great meeting you all!" I called.

Just then, a silver Volvo drove past, giving two short honks. Emmett waved and hopped into his red Jeep, following it. Friendly people, I thought. That was one of the advantages of being in a small town. Pulling out of the drive, Alice and Jasper went the opposite way, with Rosalie close behind.

I made myself a peanut butter and honey sandwich and found an apple in my crate of nonperishable food. After the light meal, I went out the screen door and onto the porch. The porch swing was so inviting. I went inside and found a notebook and pen and decided to map out the next week. Sitting on the swing, I planned my shopping list and menus for the next couple of days and decided what other things I might need from the store. Tomorrow I would explore the greater Forks area, and hopefully, with Charlie and Jake's help, get the majority of my things where they needed to be. Monday I could finish settling in and explore the town a little more. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday I had 12 hour shifts, then off for the weekend. As the sun set over the evergreens, I decided that so far, I had landed in a pretty good place. Walking into the house, exhaustion hit me. After making sure that everything downstairs was secure and I went upstairs, blew up the air mattress and was asleep before I knew it.

My phone woke me the next morning, much too early for my liking. Jacob greeted me in his usual boisterous manner.

"Hey, Bells! We're in Port Angeles getting our rental. We should be there in about an hour. How's the new place?" Jake said with entirely too much enthusiasm for the early morning hour.

I could practically hear his smile over the line. That, along with my morning coffee would be enough to get me going this morning. I rose off of the air mattress and began to stretch. It's a good thing I'll be in my big, comfy bed tonight, I thought.

"Oh, Jake, it is amazing! By far, my favorite place in the whole 5 years I have been doing this. It is HUGE!" I said, looking for my toiletries bag and wandering into the massive master bath. "I feel like a princess!"

"That's great! Here comes Charlie. I'll let you go and we'll see you soon!"

"All right. Love you, Jake."

"Love you too, Bella. Bye."

I brushed my teeth and stared in awe at the closet. It was as large as a small bedroom, complete with a window seat. From the conversation last night, I was thinking that Alice may have had some influence over the design. The shower was to die for. It was all tumbled marble with multiple jets down the sides and a sumptuous shower head coming from the ceiling. There was also a big corner tub with jets that I knew I would use religiously.

After I dressed, I explored the other rooms a little more. There were three other bedrooms. One I could set up as a guest room for when Charlie and Jake got here. The other two were just empty space for now. At the end of the long hallway there was a door that led upstairs to the attic, and another that led to the second bath. I held on to the rich wood banister as I went downstairs to begin caffeinating my body.

I knew that it was going to be heaven having a kitchen like the one Emmett had designed. It looked like it was straight out of a magazine. With the coffee brewing, I went into the parlor. Built-in bookshelves flanked a magnificent fireplace. My antique desk that I had found at a flea market outside of Washington, DC would look perfect near the window, I thought. I also had a small winged back chair that would help to fill the space.

I walked back down the hall to the kitchen to fill my mug. The family room adjacent to the kitchen would be a nice resting place for my big flat screen. I love my gadgets, and I often indulged. Emmett and Jasper looked like they might enjoy some epic Halo battles. Most guys do. I was excited to be having my new friends over. Hopefully, we'd become fast friends.

After my second cup of coffee, I heard footsteps on the porch. Running to the screen door, I saw my moving men.

"Hey, Bells," Charlie said, giving me an awkward hug. I would always know that he loved me, even though displays of affection were not his forte. "You weren't kidding about the size of this place. Wow!"

"Wow is an understatement," said Jake, bending down to give me a huge hug. "You might actually have to go and buy a few more pieces of furniture. Even if it does go against the plan," he said with a glint in his eye. Jacob was accepting of my plan, although he wasn't sure why it was necessary.

I stuck my tongue out as a demonstration of my maturity and offered them coffee. "If I buy more furniture, it just means more stuff for you to move for me, you know," I teased.

We got down to business and had the U-Haul emptied by lunch time. Fortunately, the frequently rainy weather that was typical of the region blew by us and we were treated to clear skies. We took a trip to the grocery store for a few things and grabbed some lunch. Going by the town square, I noticed a yellow Porsche parked on the street. Recognizing it as Alice's, I had a pang of excitement. I'd have to check out her shop when had some free time later in the week. While shopping wasn't high on my list of things to do, I did need a new pair of sandals for the warmer weather.

After a fast food lunch, Jake and Charlie set about the tasks of putting furniture together and getting my TV and assorted gadgets up and running. I was able to get my books nestled in to their new home on the shelves next to the fireplace. My well worn copies of the classics were some of the essentials of my life. My oldest friends. I was glad to see that they had a nice place to rest for the next six months.

My new kitchen called to me. For our dinner, I made a simple pasta salad with grilled chicken chunks. It was a delight to have the room I needed to cook, even though all I did was boil pasta and cut up some chicken and veggies. The guys sat across the island from me as I prepared our food. It had been a busy day, but not too strenuous. We all seemed pretty tired, however. That prompted the discussion that always unfolded with each move.

"So when are you going to quit your nomadic ways and come home, Bells?" Charlie began, popping the top on his beer. "Your mom would love to have you in the same area code again."

"My phone has a Phoenix area code, Dad. I thought we weren't going to get into this. You know that this is what I want to do right now. I'm young and unattached. Plus the things I have gotten to see, gotten to do…those are experiences I wouldn't trade for anything."

"I think I see where Renee is coming from, Bella," Jake offered. "She thinks that your constant relocation will keep you unattached. And you know that she would love nothing more than to have you happily married."

Jake was right. My parents married young and had me shortly after. I was coming up on my 28th birthday and had not had a serious relationship in forever. She just wanted me to be happy. I just wish that she trusted me to be able to find that happiness. She had never understood my wanderlust. I still had professional goals to attain. I had been giving some thought to pursuing a master's degree and becoming a nurse practitioner. I could return to Phoenix to do that. It just wasn't in the _immediate_ plan right now.

"Come on, you guys. Don't beat up on me. I just want to finish my circuit of the country. Then I will settle down someplace," I said with an exasperated sigh.

"How many states you got left?" Jake asked knowingly. His inbox was filled with photos of my adventures. He liked to live somewhat vicariously through my travels.

"Well, let's see. I checked off Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, and, of course, Washington. That leaves Oregon, Utah, California, Nevada, North Dakota, Alaska, and Hawaii," I said as I tossed the ingredients together with some dressing. "I'm really hoping to be able to get to Oregon and Utah this move. It shouldn't be impossible."

Charlie chuckled. "How on earth did you miss North Dakota? I know that your mom has a theory that if we had taken more vacations when you were little, you wouldn't be so curious."

"She should road trip with me on my next move. Maybe I'll convince her to spend all of your retirement money on a tricked out Winnebago! What do you think, Jake? Can you see Charlie and Renee cruisin' in the Winnie?" I laughed.

"Sure, sure. I want to know who's going to empty the holding tank for the toilet?" Jake added with a grin. "You know how your mom is about public toilets."

Memories of a germ-phobic woman carrying Lysol around in her purse anytime we went out flooded my head. Indeed, Renee knew the status of practically every public toilet in the Phoenix area. "But on the Winnie, it would be like her own toilet, not a public one!" I noted.

"Bella, you paint a vivid picture. I'll let you talk toilets with her. I have to live with the lady!" Charlie said, munching on a pepper.

We ate our dinner and relaxed in the family room. The cable wasn't hooked up yet, so we just listened to music and caught up on things. Charlie decided that he was ready to turn in, and he went up to the air mattress in the guest room. Jake was going to sleep on the couch.

"So, Bells, I have some news. I'm going to propose to Leah," he said, letting out a big breath.

Several feelings coursed through me. Happiness for my friends. Sadness and loneliness for myself. Married. Jake. A small ache began in my chest, but I pushed it aside as I threw my arms around Jacob.

"I am so very thrilled for you, Jake, really! It's about time you made it legal, you know," I joked, hoping that my happiness was all that he saw. I wasn't jealous of Leah, and certainly I didn't love Jake in a matrimonial way, but the hurt was there. The yearning to finally find someone to tie me down, so to speak, crept into my consciousness for the first time since I lived in Dallas 3 years ago. I had been on dates since then, but nothing serious. Maybe Renee had been right about my job being an occupational hazard for my love life.

"It means a lot to hear you say that, Bella. I was really worried about telling you. I wanted to tell you before I asked Leah. Do you want to see the ring?" Jake pulled a box from his bag beside the couch. It was a beautiful oval cut diamond with a trio of smaller round diamonds on each side. The band was platinum. Leah was going to flip.

"She's a fool if she doesn't say yes, you know," I told him sincerely. "When do you think you'll ask her?"

"We're going to a party at her family's place on Memorial Day. I thought she'd like it if her family was there to share." Jake was right. Leah's family was large, and they were all very close.

"You have thought of everything. I really am glad you have found someone like Leah." I said, a little sadness creeping into my words. Dammit! I didn't want to do this, not to Jake.

"Bella, your guy is out there somewhere. Don't let Renee's silly pestering get to you. I'd rather you be a little picky when it comes to your heart, you know. The love you have inside of you shouldn't just be given away carelessly. I know you have a plan," he said softly with a playful wink.

"Oh, Jake. Thanks for understanding. It helps to know that you're in my corner," I said with a sigh. "Tell you what…why don't we call it a night. I still have one more day with you and Charlie, and I don't want to waste it by sleeping in tomorrow. Just a few boxes to go through tomorrow, and then we can explore Washington, okay?"

Jake drew me into his arms. "You got it, Bells. I love you," he said into my hair.

"I love you too, Jacob Black. Goodnight," I whispered.

In my 13th bedroom in five years, I settled into my freshly made bed. Quiet tears escaped from my eyes as I slid under my light summer blanket. What was I looking for out of life? Was I really holding myself back from finding someone, like Renee thinks? I wiped my eyes, remembering the feeling I had with Rosalie and the others. The desire to belong to a group like that. Where did that come from? I had always prided myself on the fact that I was independent. Maybe I was just isolating myself. I curled onto my side and fell into a dreamless sleep.

**Good, bad or ugly, I'd love to know what you think! Thanks!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Stephenie Meyer owns all that is Twilight. I wish I owned Edward in his towel.**

**I would be a complete jerk if I didn't give a huge thank you to MartiniBaby1. She has been indispensable with her revisions, suggestions, but most of all, her encouragement. If you haven't already, go check out her fic "Collide." Nothin' better than a somewhat sad and brooding Edward to drool over. I'll send over Dr. Cullen when I'm done with him, Elke. I'll try to see to it that he has some energy left for you!**

**BPOV**

The weather the next day was sunny and clear, which was an anomaly for one of the rainiest places in the country. I still had yet to stock my new kitchen, so Jake, Charlie and I headed out for breakfast to a diner we had noticed on our travels about town the previous day. The parking lot was always full each time we passed it, so either the food was good, or there wasn't any place else to go. We weren't disappointed, as the food was excellent. Sitting in a booth with a window looking out over the lush green that was Washington, Charlie asked again about my plans in six months.

"Oh, I don't know, Dad," I said with a sigh. I had been wondering that same thing this morning in the shower. According to the plan, I had seven states yet to visit. I was vested in my retirement plan, so all of that money, as well as my employer's contribution, was mine. I wouldn't lose any of it if I changed jobs. In the last few days, however, I had begun to question what it was that I wanted. I wondered if I was near the end of this stage of my life, the stage where I enjoyed the spontaneity of living my life in three to six month snippets. I had friends, -or were they just acquaintances? - literally all over the country. My work experiences were as varied and unique as you could get. What had started as an unfamiliar pang as I watched Rosalie and her friends the other night had progressed to a quiet yearning for something akin to permanence and stability. I knew that I would always have a place with Charlie and Renee, but that wasn't exactly what I wanted. With Jake and Leah beginning their new life together, I was wondering about the third wheel factor. And then the inevitable attempts to fix me up. I know that everyone would be full of good intentions, but seriously, I couldn't bear the thought of Operation Find Bella A Man. Bella could find her own man. Bella just had to stay in one place for a while.

"I don't have to let Nola know for a while. She has a general idea of where I would like to go. I was thinking of the San Francisco area. There are a few medical centers there that sound interesting, with nurse practitioner programs that I can investigate."

Jake smiled at me. "I'm glad to hear you are giving more thought to school, Bells. I know that you'd do a great job as an NP. Would you stay in emergency medicine, or do something else?"

"I love the ED. The variety there is perfect for me, I think. I know so many people who don't like their jobs, but what I do, helping people, often when they need it most, is really fulfilling, challenging. I feel like I really earn my paycheck. That's a good feeling." I said with a smile. I know it sounded corny, but it was the truth.

Charlie sat there with a grin on his face. "You know, sometimes, Bella, I still can't believe you chose a career that puts you in constant contact with blood. How you got over that, I will never know." He was shaking his head, surely remembering how I almost passed out in high school biology over a mere drop of blood.

"I don't know either! I think that I just fell in love with how complex the human body is and I love the challenge of figuring out how to fix it when it is not working properly. I figured that either I needed to reconcile the aversion to blood or find another passion. Once I did that, everything else just fell into place." I shrugged my shoulders and finished the rest of my omelet.

"Bella, you know that your mom and I just want you to be happy. Whether it is in Phoenix, Forks, or wherever, you have to live your life how you see fit. We have confidence that you do indeed know what is best for you. But, as selfish parents, we just wish it was within driving distance, that's all," Charlie said with as much emotion as his Charlie ways would allow. He smiled at me softly for a moment, and I could see the love he felt for me inside that simple smile. I hoped with all my heart, that the twinkle in my eyes showed my gratitude and love as well. He broke our gaze and upon seeing the waitress, he asked for our check.

Jacob claimed the back seat of Rufus, while my dad climbed into the passenger side. Forks was pretty quiet for a mid-morning Sunday. We found our way to the square and decided to take a walk and get to know the retail options. It was pretty limited.

We approached the place on the square where we had seen Alice's yellow Porsche parked the day before. Emmett's big Jeep was parked near the boutique, and as we came up to the storefront, we saw Emmett in the window. He was either wrestling with a mannequin or practicing for his debut on "Dancing with the Stars." In either case, it wasn't pretty. He waved, and the mannequin promptly lost her arm. Alice's voice was heard clearly reprimanding him for his inability to keep the dummy in one piece.

I knocked on the window and the little pixie flew to the door and unlocked it, letting us in.

"Bella! I see you are getting acquainted with Forks! Welcome to my shop!"

"Thanks, Alice. We were just taking a walk around. This is my father, Charlie, and my good friend, Jacob Black," I offered. "Guys, this is Alice Cullen and her brother, Emmett. Emmett is the person who took apart my house and put it back together. And he's the landlord, too."

Emmett hopped down out of the shop window to shake hands with Charlie and Jake. "I think Alice likes having a big brother around to do all of the heavy lifting. Good thing I'm so nice!"

Jake laughed. "I know what you mean. This is the fourth time Charlie and I have come to help Bella get settled. At least I get a six month break before my services are needed again," he said, ducking as I swatted at the back of his head.

"Maybe we'll just have to convince Bella to stay longer and give you guys a break!" Alice chirped. She smiled warmly at me and went into fashion mode. "Come see the things we just got in for the summer, Bella…"

Emmett, Jake and Charlie quickly fell into a conversation about baseball as I browsed at sandals. She had a nice selection, and I saw several pairs that caught my eye.

"Are you close to making a decision?" Alice asked. Why did I feel that she meant something other the espadrilles in my hand?

"Um, yes," I replied, referring to the shoes, wondering about my future. "Do you have time to check for a size seven?"

"Absolutely! Those are so cute. So do you have a dislike for clothes like my brother? Just because you wear scrubs all day at work doesn't mean you can't glam it up off the clock. You're what, a size four?" Alice asked with a scrutinizing eye.

"You're good! How did you know that?" I wondered.

"It's my job, silly. You and Edward fix people. I dress and accessorize them. We all have our gifts," she said with a wink and disappeared into the back of the store. Ah, the famous, unattached Dr. Cullen. Was it me, or was Alice trying to make me a tad curious about her brother? Hopefully I would get to meet him this week. Alice and Emmett were good looking people, so I had to hope that Edward also was genetically predisposed to being beautiful as well.

I wandered back to Charlie and Jacob. Emmett was talking animatedly about baseball still. Or had they moved on to football? It was hard to tell. Boys will be boys.

"Did you hear that, Bells? Emmett's family has a box for the Seahawks. When they play the Cardinals, Jake and I are going to come for a visit," Charlie beamed. He was such a sports nut.

"You may never get rid of them, you understand, Emmett?" I said, rolling my eyes.

"That's ok, Bella, we'll bring Renee and Leah. You can have your girl time. It's a win-win situation!" Jacob was grinning like a little boy.

"Did I hear 'girl time'? That's my department! What are you guys planning?" Alice said, bringing a shoe box and 3 dresses with her, each one more lovely than the last.

"Well, it appears the boys have scheduled a play date for the Cardinals-Seahawks game this fall. Hopefully, my mom and Jake's girlfriend, er, I mean fiancé will join them," I said. The lump in my throat at the mention of Jake having a fiancé was smaller, but there nonetheless. _Jeez, Bella! Get a grip!_

"Oooooh, goody! I know just the spa for us to relax at while the men go to their testosterone-fest! I'll look up the schedule and get the ball rolling! This will be fantastic!" Alice squealed. And just like that, like we had been forever friends, the unbelievably perky shop owner whisked me to the dressing room and began chattering about beauty treatments and the like. I was given the dresses to try on. It was not a question as to whether I would leave with a dress, but rather which one. After settling on a cute, strappy midnight blue sundress, Alice placed the shoes in front of me. I looked nice. A little out of my comfort zone, showing so much cleavage, but the silky material felt heavenly against my skin. I was intoxicated. Maybe this shopping thing wasn't so bad after all.

After paying for my purchases and thanking Alice for letting me have the shop all to myself, I tore Jake and Charlie away from Emmett and we continued around the square. We saw Rosalie's office, as well as Jasper's law practice. Alice could look from her storefront and see Jasper's window. You gotta love small town living.

We made it back to my place, satisfied with our excursion. I still had to put away a good bit of kitchen stuff, and most all of my bedroom stuff. The parlor with my desk, books, and chair looked comfy and inviting. Charlie and Jake had organized my family room with my movies, cds and video games with the skill and swiftness of someone who had done it a few times before. They then set about to measuring windows for me in case I wanted to add curtains to the rich wood blinds that Emmett's mother had chosen for each of the windows.

We all came to a stopping point and decided that it was time for an early supper. The flight out of Port Angeles was at 8 am, so my guys had to leave fairly early the next morning. After a delicious meal of steak, roasted new potatoes and a salad, we walked a few blocks to an ice cream shop we had noticed earlier. The conversation centered on Jake's proposal to Leah. I was, of course, thrilled, but Charlie shot me a glance and cocked an eyebrow. I knew he would want to talk to me in private. I let out a sigh as we got up to head back to the house. As we meandered up the street, Charlie on my left and Jacob with his arm slung over my shoulders on my right, the same silver Volvo that went past the house the other night when Emmett and the others were leaving drove by. I guess I would get used to seeing the same people every day, since Forks wasn't a thriving metropolitan area. My neighbors would recognize my distinctive truck, as well, I suppose.

Once back at my place, Jake decided to shower and settle in for the night. While he was in the bathroom, Charlie helped me by carrying a box to my room. Once there, he sat on the bench at the foot of my bed and looked at me with somewhat sad eyes. I readied myself for a conversation that I didn't want to have.

"Are you ok Bella? I mean with Jake and Leah getting married? You seem a little upset," Charlie asked.

"I'm fine. Really I am. I know that Jake and Leah are perfect for each other. For a teensy moment, I'll admit, I thought of Mike and how I thought at one time he and I might be headed for marriage. I have been so hesitant to let anyone get close to me since Dallas. Once the anger died down, I was left with a great deal of hurt. I guess that resurfaced when I thought of Jake getting his happily ever after. I'm honestly not looking for a relationship, but sometimes I wonder if Mom is right about how I might be running from something." My eyes stung a little, and I wondered where this honesty came from all of sudden. Deciding that I didn't care, I took a big breath, faced my father and added, "Don't you dare tell her I said that, either!"

"I won't say a word. If it makes you feel any better, I know that you'll find someone when you are ready for him to find you. You have always been wise for your years, you know," Charlie said with a grin. "Your mom and I sometimes would wonder who the grown up was when you were younger. Stick with your plan, Bells. See your states. Go back to school. Live your life for you, not for me or Renee or anyone else. Things always have a way of working out." Charlie then gave me a quick, if not awkward hug and I knew that he was right.

Charlie was placing my suitcases on the top shelf in the closet when he changed the subject. "I think your mom will enjoy coming up to visit at the end of the summer. Sky box tickets will be great! It was really nice of Emmett to offer," Charlie marveled.

"I know! Emmett and Alice are super nice. Rosalie, Emmett's fiancée, is the real estate agent that helped me find this place, and Alice has a boyfriend named Jasper. I met them all when I got here on Friday. I felt like I had known them for a long time by the time they left the house. It was really weird. Comforting, too. And how's this for small town America- Alice and Emmett's dad is the head of the emergency department, and their brother, Edward, is an attending in the department. I'm sure I'll meet them this week," I said with a bit of excitement about finally meeting Edward. Alice had piqued my interest, to be sure.

We went downstairs with empty boxes and a bag of garbage, and then I set about to getting the kitchen cleaned from dinner. Jake appeared from his shower and went out onto the porch to call Leah, while Charlie gave Renee a call.

"OK. I'll get her for you. Bella, your mom wants to say hi," Charlie said, holding his phone out to me.

"Hi, Mom," I said. I was wondering what degree of questioning I'd get tonight. Even though Renee and I were pretty close, sometimes she could be a little overwhelming with her good intentions.

"Hi, sweetie! Dad tells me your place is gorgeous! I really can't wait to see pictures! What do you think of the town?" Renee asked. So far, no mention of the touchy subjects of guys, returning to Phoenix, or me being lonely. She must really be controlling herself. Wonder what Charlie said to her?

"It is beautiful. The house is a dream house! And Washington is so green! It's literally a breath of fresh air compared to the big cities I've been in. I don't have to start work until Tuesday, so I'll try to get some pictures emailed to you tomorrow," I said, walking over to my desk to charge my camera. "I have met some people my age. My landlord and his fiancé, along with his sister and her boyfriend were all at the house here when I arrived on Friday. They seem really nice, very easy to get along with. To thank them for helping me unload some stuff out of Rufus, I'm having them over to dinner on Friday. The kitchen is beyond words. I'll really be able to cook!"

"That's nice, honey. I'm so glad that this has been an easy move for you," she continued. I sensed that she was going to venture into interrogation mode, however. "How many more moves until you stay put, though?"

Bingo. I really didn't want to get into this tonight, or any night, for that matter. I was already having a mini pity party for myself and there wasn't room for one more. But this was Renee, and it was unavoidable. "I don't know, Mom. Let me at least get a week under my belt here. I am planning on at least one more assignment after Forks, probably in the San Francisco area. Then I think I am going to apply to graduate school. After that, I'll settle down in one place. But let me get through with the plan, ok?" I sighed.

"Oh, Bella, I just want you be happy. It's hard for me to understand the appeal of drifting, with nothing tying you to a place." That hurt. And they say it is the truth that always hurts, right?

"I'm hardly drifting, Mom. I'm doing what I love to do, seeing so much. I never would have done the things I have if I had stayed there in Arizona. Just trust me, ok? Trust that this is what's best for me," I said in my most convincing voice. She didn't need to know about my weird pangs of, well, whatever that feeling was. No sense in giving her fuel for the fire. "Things are winding down with the plan, and I can see the next phase on the horizon. Don't push, though." I desperately needed to change the subject.

"Did Charlie tell you how my landlord invited Jacob and him to watch the Cardinals and the Seahawks from their sky box this season? You and Leah will have to tag along. We can have a girls' weekend!" I said, perhaps with a little more enthusiasm than necessary. "Alice, one of my new friends, owns a boutique in town, and she knows of a great spa in Seattle. We'll have a blast!"

"That does sound like a treat. Let me know as soon as you're sure about the dates," she said, all interrogation apparently suspended for now, for which I would be eternally grateful.

"Bella, I'll let you get going. You must still be tired from your trip, and I know you'll be up early tomorrow getting the boys out the door. Give me a call if you have time this week. I'd love to hear all about Forks, okay?" Renee said.

"Will do, Mom. And really, don't worry about me. I'm fine."

"Okay. Talk to you soon, honey. Bye," she said, but not without a note of sadness.

"Bye, Mom," I said. Flipping the phone shut, I went to find Charlie. Jake was getting the blankets and pillows out of the closet for another comfy night on my couch, and Charlie was in the shower.

"Jake, I need to ask you a favor," I said to my friend, mindlessly fluffing one of the pillows.

"Anything, Bells. Whatchya need?" he asked.

"I need you to try to get Renee to see that I'm a big girl. I know that she's going to go into some sort of frenzied state when you tell her about your engagement," I began. The lump was back in my throat, but thankfully, no traitorous tears. I really needed to figure out what the hell that was all about. Swallowing hard, I continued. "Heaven knows she means well, but I just need her to give me a bit of space, and to understand that I'm doing what I want to do. You've always been able to reason with her in the past. She listens to you." I looked at him with pleading eyes, begging him to understand.

"I can do that. I was both dreading and looking forward to telling Renee about the engagement, you know. I know she'll be happy, but I also am anticipating the grief you'll have to endure. Sorry, Bells," Jacob said, reaching for my hand to comfort me.

"Don't you dare be sorry for a second! It's so wonderful that you're getting married, Jake. We just need to convince Renee that I'm not going to die an old maid, that's all," I said. The last thing I wanted to do was to take away from Jake's happiness.

"Twenty-eight is hardly Old Maid status. I'll set that woman straight, okay?"

I gave my best friend a hug. It was such a comfort to have him here, even if it was just for a few days. It was like rebooting my internal hard drive, getting me ready for this next chapter.

Once the guys were settled for the night, I went up to my bathroom and prepared to worship at the altar that was my tub. In my mind, I had begun to bring closure to this phase of my life. I just needed to map out my next few years after San Francisco. I was thinking that six months would be a good length to spend there. I wouldn't be able to start school until after finishing as a traveler next June. Tomorrow would be just as good a day as any to begin researching graduate programs. I contemplated this as I sat chin deep in the tub, fragrant bubbles all around me. Too bad I couldn't just stay here in my dream house.

Charlie and Jacob were on the road by 5:30 the next morning. It was cloudy, the grey skies threatening rain. I sat at my desk with my second cup of liquid consciousness and turned on my laptop. After half-heartedly doing a search for nurse practitioner programs on the west coast, I let out a big breath. This could wait. It was 7am on a Monday morning. What to do? In Denver, my apartment complex had a very nice gym on site, and I would use it frequently. Since a home gym was just about the only thing Emmett didn't put in, I decided to get dressed and go for a run around Forks. With my ipod strapped to my arm and ear buds in place, I started down my street in the direction of the ice cream shop Charlie, Jake and I had visited the night before. And just like last night, the silver Volvo passed by. I was unable to see the driver, but he did slow down, acknowledging my pedestrian status, I presume. Curious, I thought, and continued my exploration of the small town.

**EPOV **

I had one more night shift this week before switching back to days for a while. Right now, I just wanted to get home and go to sleep. It was day 4 of a 5 day stretch, and I was exhausted. The emergency department hadn't been too busy the past few days, but tempers were beginning to flare a little. The nursing staff was stretched a bit thin, and they were all working extra shifts to cover. From what I understood, a new nurse was starting this week to help alleviate some of the stress. Hopefully, she could transition smoothly. I knew that Angela, one of the day nurses, would be responsible for helping to catch her up to speed, and I had no doubts that she was up to the task of babysitting, so to speak.

I turned the corner onto the street where Emmett's new rental was located. I had been working nights lately, but I assumed that he had a new tenant. When I passed by on Friday night, I saw him at the place with the rest of the gang: Alice, Jasper and Rose. I also noticed another woman with long, wavy hair the color of chestnuts. She was more than likely the new renter. Driving to work last night, I passed what looked like the same woman walking with an older man, perhaps her father, and a companion who had her drawn close to his side. Must be newlyweds or something. I'll ask Emmett next time I see him.

Since coming back to Forks from San Francisco, I hadn't done any dating. I knew that my mother was eager to see me happy now that I was through with school and had begun my career in earnest. It didn't help that Emmett had Rose, and Alice and Jasper were joined at the hip. I always felt like the odd man out, despite my siblings efforts to help me to feel otherwise. I was still looking for a true love. I had dated some in college and med school, but nothing serious. Nobody had captured my interest long enough. Emmett always laughed and told me that my standards were too high. I guess that could be the truth. I had always been in awe at the relationship my parents had. My mother, Esme, knew and understood the demands that a career in medicine would put on a marriage. There were long shifts, the on-call hours to consider. She accepted this and never made my father, Carlisle, feel guilty for not being there on Christmas morning, or for being called away during dinner. She adapted us to his schedule, their life. Our time with him was precious to him, and it was evident in every moment that we spent together. Life was a little different, but Emmett, Alice and I never doubted that our parents loved us. I wanted that for the family I was to have some day. The woman that loved me would have to be as understanding of my career as my mother had been for my father.

I slowed my car instinctively as I saw a runner coming down the road toward me. I didn't recognize her right away. Our town was so small that someone new would cause quite the sensation. She was petite with shapely legs carrying her down the street. I noticed her long, wavy brown hair tied up in a pony tail and thought that she could be Emmett's new tenant. She looked attractive, even sweaty and in her running clothes. If it's the same girl that I had seen last night walking down the street, however, it was clear that she was attached. I continued on down the street, past the rental, turning right and just a little farther to my driveway. After I pulled into the garage, I sighed and rested my head on the steering wheel. Someday I would find a love like Carlisle and Esme's. I just had to.

**BPOV**

I heard my alarm go off. I was temporarily disoriented, not recognizing my surroundings, but then remembered: Forks, Washington. I had spent most of the previous day after my run taking pictures for Renee and settling in further. It was now 5:45 am, and I was planning to leave my place in about 45 minutes so that I could be a little early for my first day. It always made me feel better to be early. It was a control thing, I think. After showering, dressing, and pulling my hair into a high ponytail, I went downstairs. Then, I thought to myself about the mysterious Dr. Cullen. If Edward was going to be there, I wanted to look good. I turned around and made my way back up to the vanity in my ginormous bathroom. A little mascara, a little eyeliner, and a bit of lip gloss in a color called "sweetest blush" and I deemed myself appropriate to meet a handsome doctor. Wait. What was I doing? I felt like I was in junior high again. I remembered feeling giddy and nervous like this when Jake and I started to like each other as more than friends. I could understand the butterflies if I had actually met the man before, but I had no clue if he was gorgeous or a toad. Or if he would even be there. I shook my head and went downstairs to gather my things into my messenger bag.

Once at the hospital, I quickly found the Personnel office. The first desk I came to had a girl with dark hair sitting behind it, on the phone and laughing with an obnoxious tone. She glanced at me and quickly said her goodbyes to the person on the other end.

"Can I help you?" she asked in such a condescending tone that I wasn't sure what to make of it.

"I'm Bella Swan. I am a new RN here. I'm going to work in the Emergency Department?" I said with a questioning sound in my voice. She was looking me up and down, as if she was sizing up a foe. WTF was that about?

"Oh. Of course. I'm Lauren Mallory. I'll be guiding you through he things here on this end, all the paperwork and such. I think Angela Weber will be mentoring you on the unit. Please tell me you have worked Emergency before, or at least critical care. The last thing we need is someone who needs a lot of hand holding," Lauren continued in her less than welcoming way. Rose and Alice did say to watch out for her. I was not in the mood to be Nice Bella. She had turned me from a good mood to pissy in about 30 seconds. Two can play her game.

"My agency chose me for this assignment specifically because you needed someone in a hurry. And to answer your question, I can work emergency, critical care, and surgery. I can even fly on helicopters, if you need me to. Does that meet with your approval, Lauren?" I wanted to kick her ass.

She looked at me in surprise. I guess she wasn't used to people talking back to her. Raising her eyebrow and giving a little snort, she pulled a file folder from a stack on her desk and snapped, "Come with me. We'll just get you to work then, since you are _so _well qualified."

What was with this chick? I really didn't appreciate her tone. I followed her up a set of stairs and into a hallway leading to a set of double doors that were labeled "Emergency Department" in bold red letters. At the nurse's station, I was greeted with a warm smile from a grandmotherly looking woman.

"Glenda, this is Bella Swan, your new RN for the next six months. She said that she was ready to start. Apparently, she'd qualified to do it all," Lauren said with venom. She placed the file in front of Glenda.

Glenda smiled and made me feel a bit more at ease. "I'm glad to meet you, Bella. I'm charge nurse today. I have spoken to your recruiter, Nola. Indeed she wouldn't be here, Lauren, if she weren't ready to jump in with both feet. Do you need anything else from her?" I fought the urge to stick my tongue out at Lauren after hearing Glenda's vote of confidence.

"Just return the paperwork in the file by the end of your shift," Lauren curtly said, then turned walked away.

"Please don't judge the rest of our hospital by the welcome you got from Miss Mallory. She's not pleased with us here in the ED. She's been chasing after one of our docs, and he finally asked us to run interference for him. She was relentless. Finally, we broke it to her that Edward wasn't interested and to stop harassing the poor boy. I had to threaten to involve his dad, Carlisle, she grew so aggressive! And I'm guessing that since you are a rather attractive young lady, she sensed a bit of competition. Don't let her bother you, though. She's all bark, no bite, so to speak." Glenda smiled warmly. I liked her immediately.

"I'll be honest, Glenda, I was warned about Lauren by Alice Cullen and Rosalie Hale." I began. Glenda shot me another smile and interrupted me.

"Alice, Emmett and Edward are all like family to me. I have known them practically all their lives! So are you the renter for Emmett's new masterpiece? Carlisle had mentioned that someone had moved in."

"Small town, huh? I forget about that. I am used to the anonymity of a big city," I said, laughing. I guess I had better get used to being noticed, I thought to myself.

"Oh, don't think of it as a fishbowl, but rather a large, extended family. The nice ones, anyway. You can leave out Lauren!" Glenda laughed. I began to feel more at ease, my good mood returning.

From around the corner came another nurse. "Angela, meet Bella. She's our relief for the next six months," the older nurse explained.

Angela extended her hand and smiled. "Welcome, Bella! I can speak for all of us who have been working overtime by saying we are glad you're here. Now maybe I can see my boyfriend a little more often. We have resorted to romantic dinners in the break room since I've been working so much!"

Just then, a startlingly handsome man in a white coat came out of the exam room nearest where we were standing. He was blonde and chiseled and scrumptious looking. Forks ED was looking up.

"Carlisle, this is Bella. " Angela began.

If he was the Cullen supplying half of the DNA for Emmett and Alice, there was no way in hell that Edward could have missed out on the family's good looks. I'm sure that even his recessive genes were gorgeous. This man was breathtaking.

"Bella the travel nurse who is staying in Emmett's newest renovation," he stated. Of course he would know all about me.

"That's me," I chuckled. "It is a little weird that everyone knows about me, and I haven't even been here a week!"

"I beg your pardon. It's just that I had dinner with Emmett, Rose, Alice and Jasper last night, and you were a topic of conversation since you had just moved in. I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable," Carlisle offered as an apology.

"I don't feel uncomfortable, really. I was just telling Glenda that it is a little weird going from a big city where you blend in to a small town, that's all." His blue eyes were dreamy. I fought a blush and thought to myself that this man was my father's age. DILF, anyone?

"I hope you find Forks to be a nice place to be. My wife and I have been here since I finished my residency. It has been a great place to raise a family. Now, you'll have to excuse me, as I need to check on some labs. It was lovely meeting you, Bella," Carlisle said with a killer smile. Damn.

Angela giggled and said in a low voice to Glenda, "Carlisle the Charmer strikes again!"

Glenda just smiled. "I think that man could charm the pants off a nun. Esme is so lucky," she said.

Angela toured me around the unit and let me get my bearings. The place was much smaller than what I was used to, but everything was pretty straight forward. I helped triage a few patients, and then things began to get interesting. I hadn't even made it two hours into my first day when a four-year-old girl puked all over me. It was vomiting of epic proportions. The poor little peanut felt so bad about throwing up to begin with, and when the realization hit that she had just let loose her cheerios and chocolate milk all over my shirt, my pants, my hair- well, she just sobbed. So what do you do? You grin like a fool even though you are on the verge of tossing your own cookies, just to see the girl smile.

After Angela and I got the little girl cleaned up and settled down, I realized that I was in desperate need of a shower and a change of clothes.

"Bella, here are some fresh scrubs. You can go into the call room down the hall for a shower," she said. She was full of smiles and sympathy as she tossed the soft articles to me.

"Thanks, Angela. I guess I was wrong in assuming that a small hospital meant less excitement! "I'll be right back," I said.

I made my way down the hall to the call room. It was very typical. Two sets of bunk beds, an alarm clock, a closet, a bathroom. I turned to lock the door and then put the fresh clothes on one of the beds. I reached for the hem of my soiled shirt and had taken it off when the bathroom door opened. My jaw hit the floor as I blushed and gawked at the god-like being that was standing in the doorway, still wet from his shower and one of those standard issue hospital towels slung low on his perfect hips.

"Uh…ummm…" I stammered. "I thought that nobody was in here. Puking accident. Very messy. Not me. Four-year-old. Cheerios. Very gross." Oh, shut up already, Bella. I felt the blush spread over my face as I looked into the most beautiful green eyes ever. He also had towel dried and tousled locks of dark hair and a wicked, crooked smile that totally owned me already.

"I thought I locked the door. This is a little awkward," he laughed in a velvet voice that was just heavenly. He walked in front of me to the closet and grabbed his fresh clothes, then retreated to the bathroom again, but not before letting his eyes roam over my torso and then looking at my eyes. "Give me a minute and I'll be out of your way."

I flopped onto one of the bunks and tried to comprehend what just had happened. Then it dawned on me: I was sitting there in my bra and scrub bottoms! I was beyond mortified, and if I hadn't been covered in vomit, I would have run from the room. But, I caught him looking at me. That hot man was checking me out! Thank goodness I had the presence of mind to put a pretty bra on.

One of my most endearing qualities, as my mom was always quick to point out, was the fact that I was so easy to read. I had about a half a minute to get a handle on myself, or else Sex on Legs was going to take one look at me and know exactly what I thought of him. Plus I was still semi-topless. I clutched my shirt to my chest just as the door opened. A less scantily-clad but no less attractive man entered the room.

"Uh, I'm Edward Cullen. I'm one of the attending docs here," he said, extending his hand. What the hell? Was I supposed to shake his hand and drop my shirt? Blush, blush, blush.

Clutching my left hand over my chest, I reached my right hand out to shake his. "Bella," I croaked. "I mean, I'm Bella Swan. I just started today. Apparently, part of the initiation here at Forks General is getting puked on by four-year-olds," I babbled. God, he is hot. And he can read me like a book. Get it together…

To add to my humiliation of standing there in my bra, I kept going. "I'm sorry about this. I didn't know that there was anyone in here. I just needed to get showered. I took a pretty direct hit." That's it, Bella, now he's going to look at your chest again. Can this be any worse?

"One of the perks of the ED, huh? The never ending excitement?" he said with a smile. Oh, I was excited, alright. "Well, don't let me hold you up," he continued. Jeez. Hold me up, tie me up, strap me down. "I'm sure I'll be, uh, seeing you. It's a small town, and an even smaller hospital." He was undoing me.

"Sure, Edward. See you around," I said with a lame grin. I didn't even want to know what the state of my blush was.

"Bye, Bella," he said, opening the door. Then he suddenly turned and winked at me. "You might want to lock this door. You never know who might come walking in on you." He let the door close behind him after giving me another one of those crooked smiles.

I rested my back against the door and slid down to the floor, locking it on the way down. That was one of the most embarrassing and thrilling moments of my life. Edward Cullen was indeed a very good looking individual. He was checking me out. Dare I say flirting?

It's a good thing I put on the lip gloss. I wonder if he noticed?

**OK… some housekeeping. First, a big thanks for my first reviewer, rohan65! You gave me the first evidence that someone actually read this thing! :) **** Second, afynegurl and humanform...muchas gracias, as well. You're just about the only people in my real world who know I'm doing this silly thing! Eeek! Thirdly, I was always the geek who loved pen pals. Thanks to my pals in Russia, Belgium, Peru, France, Canada, the UK and Germany for reading. Drop me a line and let me know what you're thinking. And stay away from that darn flu!! Although Dr. Cullen might just have to make a house call then. Hmmmm.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Stephenie Meyer owns all things Twilight. And boy, do I wish Dr. Cullen was **_**my**_** neighbor.**

**A special thanks goes out to my newest pen pals in Australia, Norway, and Poland! Thanks for checking me out. Not like Edward was checking out Bella, though. I'm much too shy for that. Sober, at least.**

**MartiniBaby1- big puffy pink heart with glitter to you! **

**EPOV**

The clock said 5:45 am, but I had trouble believing it. These last few hours were creeping by at a snail's pace. The night had been relatively calm, and I was just finishing up some paperwork on a woman who came in at 38 weeks pregnant and in labor. As I rubbed my eyes and scratched at my stubbly face, I saw my father come through the double doors.

"Aren't you a bit early?" I inquired of the elder Dr. Cullen.

"I thought that I'd come in and let you get out of here a little early. Here, breakfast," Carlisle said, handing a bag full of baked goodies from my mother. She was awesome like that.

"Thanks, for the food and the relief. I can't leave quite yet, though. Tyler asked me to round on his patients this morning. Good thing he only has five patients to check up on. After that, I'm headed home to catch up on some much needed sleep." I got up from the desk, barely suppressing a yawn as I stretched.

Carlisle smiled knowingly. It made me happy that we shared the same passion for our careers. I always knew he would understand what I was going through.

"Your mom misses you. We had rest of the group over last night for dinner. Emmett was telling us how he has rented the Victorian out already. It appears that his new tenant will be working here with us. She's the travel nurse that we'll get to have for the next six months or so," Carlisle mentioned as he pulled on his starched white coat and put his stethoscope into one of the pockets.

"I saw Emmett and the rest of them at the property on Friday night as I passed by on my way to work. I noticed a girl, and then Sunday evening, I saw her again with what looked like her father and boyfriend." I didn't mention that I had seen her again, running yesterday morning. She seemed attractive, but unavailable. This was the story of my life.

"Yes, Alice mentioned that Bella, that's her name, by the way, had stopped by the shop with her father and friend on Sunday. Her father and friend are big Cardinals fans, so Emmett thought it would be fun to have them in the sky box when Phoenix plays the Seahawks in the fall. Bella's mom and her friend's fiancé are going to come along to visit Bella. Alice has foretold," Carlisle said with a fake spooky tone to his voice. My sister has a sixth sense at times. It was a little unsettling.

Wait. The friend has a fiancé? Meaning this girl, Bella, wasn't with the guy who had his arm around her when I saw them the other night? That's interesting. A goofy grin spread over my face, and I think Carlisle was reading my mind a bit, because his next words surprised me.

"Alice and Rose said Bella is quite nice. And Alice said it would be worth your time getting to know her. She wouldn't elaborate much past that. You know Alice," my father said with a laugh.

Bella. I hadn't even met her yet and was drawn to her in curious ways. She had been in the shadows of my consciousness since seeing her with my siblings a few nights ago. And then when I saw her with her father and friend, I felt a bit of defeat wash over myself. Like I had lost the game before I even tried to play it. Seeing her jogging only reinforced that feeling. Learning that she didn't have a boyfriend sent my heart pounding in ways that I hadn't felt in quite a while. I wasn't quite sure why, and I really didn't seem to mind the feeling.

Carlisle sent me upstairs to check in on Tyler's patients, and by 9:30 I was tired, but decidedly curious about Bella. I opted for a quick shower to refresh myself before I went out to run my errands, which mainly consisted of a little recon on Emmett's new renter. Scrubbed clean and feeling invigorated, I opened the door of the bathroom inside the call room and was startled to see the cute chestnut-haired nurse that had been occupying my thoughts for the past three hours. She was standing in front of me in a lovely cream colored bra and scrub pants. She began stuttering about a puking accident, but I honestly didn't comprehend much more than every third word. Her eyes were wide open in shock, their chocolate brown color mesmerizing. The most alluring blush began to creep into her cheeks and across her chest. God forgive me, but yes, I was staring at her beautiful, bountiful breasts. I forced myself to look back at her eyes, which were equally as beautiful. If I kept staring at the delicate flesh, the skimpy towel around my hips wouldn't be able to hide the stirrings I was already beginning to feel in my pelvis, and that would just not do. Get it together, Cullen.

"I thought I locked the door. This is a little awkward," I said with a chuckle. I passed by her to the closet where my clothes were and quickly went back to the bathroom, but not before letting my gaze linger on her chest again. She was indeed _bella. _I looked into her wide eyes once more and said, "Give me a minute and I'll be out of your way."

I quickly shut the door and began to dress. She was cute all blushing and embarrassed. I wondered if she blushed a lot, and what that blush meant.

I opened the door and she was seated on one of the bunks. She stood and I decided that since we had seen each other in varied states of undress, perhaps introductions might be in order.

"Uh, I'm Edward Cullen. I'm one of the attending docs here," I said, trying not to let my eyes venture below her neck. I extended my hand to shake hers, and she just clutched her shirt to her chest with her left hand and placed her small, soft right hand in mine. I felt a shock that both sought out my heart and my groin. Did she feel that? Then there was a resurgence of her blush, everywhere. What was she thinking?

"Bella," she said in a somewhat strangled voice. "I mean, I'm Bella Swan. I just started today. Apparently, part of the initiation here at Forks General is getting puked on by four-year-olds," she continued in a nervous chatter. She was half naked in front of a stranger. Why wouldn't she be nervous and blushing?

"I'm sorry about this. I didn't know that there was anyone in here. I just needed to get showered. I took a pretty direct hit," she continued with a nervous twitter. My eyes were briefly drawn downward and she just gave a little laugh. There was something about Bella that spoke to me in ways that I didn't quite understand. I just wanted to know everything about her. Or make use of one of the bunks with her. It was a toss-up.

"One of the perks of the ED, huh? The never ending excitement?" I said, hoping not to sound too dumb. I don't think that me getting a hard on in front of her was the kind of excitement she had signed up for, however. "Well, don't let me hold you up," I said, ferociously trying not to look at the soft silk that currently was holding up her breasts. I was a dog. She caught me looking. Yet she didn't call me on it. Interesting. Maybe I could have some fun with this. See what Nurse Swan was made of, so to speak.

"I'm sure I'll be, uh, seeing you. It's a small town, and an even smaller hospital," I said, looking into her eyes.

"Sure, Edward. See you around," she said, blushing even further at my comment, but also smiling in a way that was playful. This might be fun after all.

"Bye, Bella," I said, opening the door. In an afterthought, I added with a playful wink, "You might want to lock this door. You never know who might come walking in on you." I walked out the door, looked back over my shoulder and gave her a crooked little smile, which Alice had told me was very endearing to the opposite sex. I just wanted it to be endearing to Bella.

I heard a sound on the other side of the door, and then the click of the lock. With my heart pounding and the region below my waist tingling deliciously, I decided it was time to find out all I could about Bella Swan. That meant that I had to find out her schedule for the next couple of days. I headed to the nurses' station to see when she would be back a work this week. The nursing staff's schedule was posted near the desk and the break room. It was pretty quiet, so I took a peek without prying eyes. She would be here today, Wednesday and Thursday, twelve hour shifts for all of those days. Just as I was replacing the clipboard, I heard a voice call from behind me. The clipboard tumbled to the floor, making a rather loud noise. The CIA would not be calling anytime soon to add me to their ranks.

"Whose schedule do you think he's looking up, Glenda?" my father said with a smug tone.

"I hope it isn't mine. I mean, it would be flattering to think that Edward cared enough to see when we'd be working together, but I don't think I could leave my Johnny for him," Glenda said in a smooth voice as she walked over to help me pick up the twenty pieces of paper that were scattered all over the floor.

"Let me take care of that, Edward. I'll get it all back in order," Glenda said with a smile. Dropping her voice, she added, "She'll be here tomorrow and Thursday at 7am. I think, conveniently, you will be, too, right?"

There was no use hiding the blush creeping across my cheeks, so I just squared my shoulders and smiled. Picking up my briefcase and messenger bag, I leaned down, gave Glenda a kiss on the cheek and said, "Johnny better in watch out. I may just decide to try to dazzle my way into your heart, Glenda."

Then, salvaging what pride I had, I thanked Carlisle for coming in early, as well as for the breakfast and then headed out to see the two people in Forks who knew the most about Bella Swan.

******************************************************************************

"Well, if it isn't the young Dr. Cullen," Rosalie said from behind her desk full of files and paperwork. She held up a finger to me and went back to the person on the other end of her Blackberry. "That's good. I'll note those minor changes and have Jasper send the amended contract as soon as he can. Thanks again, Jill." Rosalie then let out a breath.

"Busy already?" I asked, absently looking at the listings that her agency currently boasted. Since going into business for herself two years ago, Rosalie's had become the top real estate agency in the region. She and her other agents were consistently in the top ten for sales.

"You have no idea! Oh, guess what? We got the Victorian rented. You will probably get to know the tenant well…" Rose started to say before I cut her off.

"Bella," I said in a voice that was a little more eager than I had anticipating.

"I take it you have already met her, then," Rose said, giving me a sideways smirk. "She's single, you know, very nice and funny. And Alice has already…"

"Don't tell me she's had a premonition. She is utterly ridiculous with that stuff." I said to Rose, half hoping that Alice was right.

"So you've met her, what do you think?" Rose asked a little too earnestly.

"Actually, we met under awkward circumstances," I said with a smile creeping across my face as I remembered her soulful eyes and adorable blush.

"Well, spill," Rose prompted. I proceeded to tell her about the incident in the call room only an hour or so ago, leaving out the details of how semi-nudity responded to her semi-nudity.

"It sounds like you made quite the impression, Edward," Rose smirked. "Alice has a pretty good track record. She's been right about a lot of things. I wouldn't go betting against her!" Rosalie said over her shoulder as she briefly ducked into the other room. Reappearing with her briefcase, she just smiled and said, "We just would like to fix you up with a fabulous person. Unless you'd like me to give Lauren a call on your behalf. I think she might be able to fit you into her social calendar."

I shuddered at that thought and said, "Not even with someone else's dick, Rose. Seriously, that chick has the potential to be a stalker."

"You want to do lunch? I'm meeting Emmett down at the diner," Rosalie said, tucking a few files into her satchel.

"That sounds good. Then I have to go home and nap. I hate switching from nights to days. It totally messes with you," I said with a yawn.

"That's why they pay you the big bucks, my man. I just have to drop something off at the rental and then we can eat," Rose said, moving toward the door. "You mind driving? Emmett will bring me back. We have a property to see after lunch."

"No problem. Let's go," I said, holding the door for my soon to be sister-in-law. Rose and Emmett were perfect for each other. Their motto seems to be 'work hard, play harder.' Football, fast cars, and fun. That was the perfect way to describe the two of them.

After a short drive, we pulled into Bella's driveway. Rosalie pulled a small bag from the hardware store and a file folder from her briefcase.

"I need to run these things in. Do you want to see how the kitchen turned out? I'm sure Bella won't mind," Rose said.

"Sure," I said simply. I was somewhat intrigued by the thought of seeing where Bella lived. It was as if I was getting to know her a little better. And I liked that a lot. Gosh, Edward, stalk much? Are you no better than Lauren? I was somewhat conflicted, but my curiosity won out.

Once in the foyer, I casually went to the parlor and looked around. Surprisingly, even though she had only been in the house for less than a week, things looked like she had been moved in for quite a while.

I looked about the room under the guise of admiring the restoration that Emmett had done, but I really was just trying to find out all I could about Bella. Gosh, was I being creepy?

On her desk, along with her laptop and printer was one of those digital photo frames. As I watched the scenes from her life randomly appear, some of the same faces kept coming up: a man and woman, presumably her parents; an older woman- her grandmother, I assumed; a russet skinned, dark haired boy or man, depending on the age of the photo. Pictures of them smiling, playing football, two different graduation photos. Then an image of Bella, her friend and a pretty woman appeared. The three looked happy, but I couldn't help but notice that the happiness didn't quite touch Bella's eyes. I wanted to know all I could about her. I wanted to take that bit of sadness from her eyes.

I looked around the room to the bookshelves and noticed that either Bella liked lugging books all over the country or she was an avid reader. Battered copies of Austen and Bronte stood out among the other classics that had found their home on the rich wood shelves. We had some things in common, I thought to myself, as I tore myself away from my inintrusion into Bella's parlor. I heaved a sigh and headed to the kitchen to find Rosalie

The kitchen was magnificent, with professional appliances and sleek black granite counters. The island was clear with the exception of a bowl of fruit. In my mind, I thought of Bella sitting on the smooth, cool stone with nothing on but her blush. I was yanked from my fantasy by Rosalie's somewhat annoyed voice.

"And she mentioned that she is a total…. um, earth to Edward!"

"Sorry, what? I'm sorry. I'm just tired and zoned out for a second," I tried to cover.

"Bullshit, Cullen! You have a dopey grin on your face. You're so thinking of Bella. And seeing as though you've laid eyes on her half naked body, I can only imagine what's going on in that completely undersexed mind of yours. Thinking of breaking your vow of celibacy, Brother Edward?" Rose shot at me. I took a lot of shit from the others about my sex life, or rather, lack thereof. The truth is that there's been nobody that I have felt that connected to, felt that pull of chemistry with to have sex. Maybe I'm old fashioned, but having sex for the sake of sex doesn't seem right for me. Bella however was stirring things up in me that I had put by the wayside as I pushed through my residency and tried to establish my career. Perhaps it was time to put the monastic lifestyle away and live a little.

Rose continued, "I was saying that Bella invited Emmett, Alice, Jasper, and I over to dinner on Friday. I can ask her if I can bring one more, if you'd like."

"What, am I that pathetic that I can't score an invite on my own? A little faith, dear woman. I'll call you if I strike out, ok?" I chuckled. In our brief interaction, Bella hadn't run screaming from the call room, so I took that as an encouraging sign.

Rose and I left Bella's and headed to the diner where Emmett was already seated in a booth. She filled him in on my introduction to his new tenant, and he broke into a wide smile.

"Well, bro, way to make an impression! She is cute, in a little sister way." Rose arched an eyebrow at her bear of a boyfriend. "Aw, come on Rosie, you know the things I like to do to you are far from brotherly," he said, matching her arched eyebrow. Their eyes smoldered.

"Do you two need to get a room or something?" I asked. Did I emphasize the work hard, play hard part of their relationship? They were such horn dogs, all of the time.

Emmett focused his attention above his belt once again. "Well, I'm sure you'll get to know her better. How long is her assignment?" he asked between bites of his sandwich.

"Dad mentioned that she would be here for six months, until Thanksgiving or so. Then it's on to the next place. I wonder if she ever gets tired of moving, of not having a place to call home for more than a few months at a time?" I wondered aloud. It was strange to me how much time Bella was occupying in my head. I felt tugged into her orbit or something.

"Maybe you can be the one to change her, Edward. Give her a reason to stay," Rosalie said with a wink. If I didn't know any better, I'd venture a guess that she and that pixie sister of mine had a plan in the works already to pair Bella and myself off into wedded bliss. I reminded myself that they meant well.

"Uh oh," Emmett said. "Did Alice have one of her 'hunches?' 'Feelings?' 'Visions?' You know you're sunk if she did, bro. Nothing will keep that little dynamo from trying to fix the two of you up. You may as well surrender now," he laughed.

"I think we'll just see how things play out. I'll be seeing a lot of Bella at work. Hopefully, it will carry over," I said, trying to be casual and cool, all the time eagerly anticipating the next time I would see her.

**RPOV**

After Edward was out of sight, I pulled out my phone and shot Alice a text.

_I don't think we will have to do much nudging for b&e. I'll explain later. rlh_

*****************************************************************************************

**BPOV**

After taking a quick shower, I returned to the Nurses Station. It felt good to be clean, but I doubt the flush to my skin was the result of the water. It was a little distracting to think about the fact that Edward had just been there in that shower, naked. Guys talk about having a spank bank, and that which I was imagining about the delicious Dr. Cullen was certainly fodder for the female equivalent.

The rest of the morning was pretty typical. I spent the time up until lunch learning about various details about the department, the charting system they used, and making small talk with Carlisle, Glenda, and Angela. When it was time for lunch, Angela and I headed for the cafeteria.

"So Angela, tell me about you," I said as we found a table where we could sit and eat our lunches.

"Oh, there's not too much to tell, really. I have lived in Forks all of my life, except for college. I have twin brothers, Dad's a minister, and Mom's the stay-at-home type. After high school, I went to UW for nursing school and returned to work here. I'm engaged to my high school sweetheart, Ben. He's an engineer. It's a pretty normal life." Angela said with a smile. I found myself liking how genuine she seemed to be. Nursing was a good career choice for her.

"So, I guess you went to school with Rosalie and Alice," I began, hoping to shift the conversation casually to Edward eventually.

"Yep. Alice, Edward, Jasper and I were in the same class. Emmett and Rose were a year ahead. It's nice that everyone's come back. Edward has only been back from his residency in San Francisco about a year. He has always wanted to work alongside Carlisle."

"Apple doesn't fall far, huh?" I noted. Edward was good looking, to be sure. A really nice guy, from what I hear. Why is he not attached? What gives?

"Yeah, the whole family is super nice. Carlisle and Esme always had an open home to all of their children's friends. They knew most of the students at Forks High as well as the teachers did, I think. Emmett is just a big teddy bear, really. Don't let his size fool you! Alice and Edward are twins, but it's funny to see how they seem to be on opposite ends of the genetic spectrum. And Edward is more reserved, while Alice can be like a hummingbird on speed!" Angela expanded, giving me a quick glimpse into the Cullens.

I laughed at Angela's description of Alice. "I have met Alice, and she is quite, um, enthusiastic?" I offered.

"That she is. She's always been like that. She makes me tired just watching her! Actually, Alice was the one who encouraged me to ask Ben out, you know. She said that she had a feeling that he and I were meant to be together. I'd say that she was right," Angela said with a smile.

We finished our lunch and returned to the department, where the rest of the shift went pretty slow. We didn't have any patients, although we did have a call from one of the other units needing assistance with inserting an IV. I learned about what interesting things there were to do in the Forks area. A few quaint shops were located downtown, along with a grocery store, a few gas stations and a drug store scattered about. Major shopping was in Port Angeles, so I put that on my mental list of places to explore.

Something attractive thing about Forks, besides Edward Cullen in nothing but a towel, was the natural beauty of the outdoors. Being from Phoenix, I was used to the tans and browns of the desert. Washington was vibrant, verdant, and full of life. I couldn't remember ever feeling so quickly at home in my five years of travel. There was a pull from this place that confused me. It was as if I was being seduced by the landscape, and there was little I could do to resist. I had been here less than a week and already I was questioning the plan. Of course, I didn't need to decide anything for months, but a part of me was thinking that a detour on my journey wouldn't be the worst thing in the world.

I was brought out of my musings about my future by a velvet voice that stopped me in my tracks. Edward.

"Edward, I thought you weren't back until tomorrow morning," Angela said to Dr. Hottie. "Did you forget something?"

Edward's stunning eyes locked on mine. They crinkled with his smile and I was pulled a little more into this vortex that was Forks. I smiled back, remembering his glistening chest, his defined abs, and that delicious, chiseled V of his hips that the towel had so cruelly covered from me just hours before. I felt the blush begin to creep across my cheeks as the intensity of his gaze continued. After a few moments, he spoke.

"I, uh, forgot something in my locker that I needed," Edward said, finally breaking eye contact and turning his attention to Angela. "Still pretty slow?"

"Yes, though now that you said that, all hell will break loose!" Angela said, playfully pushing Edward's shoulder. Turning toward me, Angela said, "Edward, this is Bella Swan. She's a travel nurse who will be here through Thanksgiving. Bella, this is Dr. Edward Cullen."

I held out my hand to him and he shook it, lingering a bit longer than necessary. I wasn't about to let Angela know about how I had already had met him, nearly naked, this morning in the call room. Apparently, he wanted to keep that to ourselves, as well.

"Bella, it's nice to meet you. So as a traveler, I'm guessing you've seen a lot," he said with a hint of a smirk across his perfect lips.

You've got to be shitting me. Did he just give me that crooked smile? Game on, Dr. Adonis. Blush be damned.

"Oh, definitely. It seems like when you're least expecting it, something new and exciting comes through the door," I smirked back.

Angela walked back toward the supply room, and Edward laughed and angled his body toward me. God he smelled good. I could not help myself when I took an eyeful of his lips. I wanted those lips on mine. It wasn't often that I gave myself over to fantasies, but after our run in this morning, together with body language and flirting, I going to bed tonight might be rather, um, hard. Feeling a new wave of crimson sweep over my, I struggled to gain my composure.

"It seems that we have some mutual friends: Rosalie Hale, Jasper Whitlock, my brother, Emmett and sister, Alice. Rose mentioned that she had rented one of her properties to you. It's a great place. I hear that Em and Rose really did a fantastic job on the rehab."

Checking up on me in the eight hours since I basked in your semi-nudity, Dr. Cullen? What kind of player was he? Why did it thrill me that he talked to Rosalie? I could be just as forward.

"It is fabulous. Have you seen it since it was finished?" Just ask him to dinner on Friday, Bella.

"Not really." He raised an eyebrow, almost like he could hear my thoughts.

"Well, our mutual friends are coming to dinner at my place on Friday night. You should join us. Emmett created my dream kitchen, and I love to cook. It's a great way to get rid of tension," I said.

"I'd like that. When would said tension-relieving be taking place?" he asked, his eyes burning into mine once again.

Tonight. My bed. "Um, six o'clock. Are you off then?" I asked, slightly shifting my body toward his, tilting my head to the side. I hoped I was coming across as alluring and not as if I had some spastic muscle disease.

"I'm sure I can get off then," he said, meeting my shift and raising me a crooked smile. I was becoming undone and would need a cold shower soon. The man was oozing sex, and I was very willing to be his love sponge.

"Pretty sure of yourself, huh?" I asked. Yeah, he's cocky.

"I know the boss pretty well, and he owes me a favor that I can cash in."

Talk to me about favors, man slice.

"Well, it always helps to know the boss, I guess." My pulse was beating fast as we continued to throw glances to each other. "Listen, I'm outta here. I'm back at 7am, and I have laundry to do. Rose is still waiting on the washer and dryer to be delivered, so I have to make a Laundromat run."

"Rose mentioned that there were a few details left to finish up at your place. If you'd like, you're welcome to come over and do your wash at my place. Then I won't feel so bad about barging in on dinner Friday. I promise, I won't bite. We can call for pizza and everything," Edward said with a smile. We seemed to be clicking, even with all of the double entendres being thrown about. The banter was fun, and I really didn't want it to end.

"Well, ok, Edward. Thanks a lot. Laundromats can be a drag. You'd be really helping me out," I said with a wide smile, all the time hoping that he could help me out of my clothes sometime, as well. Jeebus. I'm not sure what the deal was, but I hadn't felt this kind of chemistry since, well, Mike nearly three years ago. But the feeling I got from Edward was playful and sincere. Like he didn't just flirt like this with everyone. Not that I did, either. Gosh, I think if I went much longer without sex and I could be considered a born-again virgin.

"Great. My place is just up a street and over about a block from you. If you'd like, I'll walk over and help you get loaded up. How does 25 minutes sound?" Edward asked.

"Sounds perfect," I said, feeling my heart beating in my chest. Edward was smart, funny, hot, and considerate, even if he was scoping out my boobs as he stood there in a flimsy towel, flushed and glistening. And he wanted to spend time with me. Was this some alternate universe? Was I being punked? It was in that moment that I took the self doubt that I had carried around since Mike and let it go. It was time to live a little. In that moment, I had the strangest premonition that all of the roads I had taken were to prepare me for this experience here in this sleepy little town. And I decided that I would take what the universe was offering.

With a smile, I looked at Edward and said, "I like everything but onions and anchovies."

He gave me a smile right back and said, "I'll follow you." For a brief second, I wished he would. Not just to my house, but to wherever I was off to next. I thought of my temporary status in Forks and felt that peculiar pang again. Perhaps, I thought to myself, there might be a reason to stay.

**Thanks for reading!!! I'd love to know what you think! Click on the review button and let me know what's going on. Or pm me if you'd rather. Answering messages is much more fun than laundry, dishes and vacuuming! Plus I read them all to Spike, my 5 month old. They say reading to children is good, and who am I to deny him? Speaking of reading, here's what I have been reading lately, in no particular order. Now you know why I take so long to update.**

**Deconstructing Dracula by hmonster4**

**Collide by MartiniBaby1**

**A Life Extraordinary by LolaShoes**

**The Dominant by tara sue me**

**Apples and Oranges by McVampy**

**Abbracciare il Cantante by Bratty-Vamp**

**Breakfast at Tiffanys by hmonster4**

**Creature of Habit by EZRocksAngel**

**Good Boy by mskathy**

**Guns and Roses by RosieWilde**

**Holding Out For You by ObsessingOverEdward**

**Irritable Grizzly Adams by caligula42**

**Shadowboxer by nobloodnofoul**

**Stay by crimsonmarie**

**The Lost Boys by hwimsey**

**The Office by tby789**

**The Perfect Wife by rmcrms5**

**Whew! That's a lot! Show these gals some love and check them out! Don't be shy about sharing something that you have found, either!**

**Now click and review, my little chickens, click and review!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey, y'all…**

**Sorry for the delay in updating. Real life gets in the way of fantasy every time. Took me 2 weeks to get over the Robporn. I don't care if the abs were airbrushed, that was some fine shit. **

**Special thanks to TwilightSherry for being such a cool chick and reading my stuff. And even though MartiniBaby1 was up to her ass in alligators this chap, I still love her!**

**SM owns. **

**BPOV**

Edward and I walked to the parking lot, making small talk about work and the hospital in general. He was a tall guy. I could tell by looking at him that the top of my head would snuggle quite nicely underneath his chin. He was gorgeous, smart, seemed to have a good sense of humor, and was well liked by his peers. Was he too good to be true?

We made it to Rufus and he smiled when I told him that the Land Cruiser was mine.

"Emmett must have gotten a kick out of your truck. I'm sure that you saw is monster of a Jeep, right? He loves to go four-wheeling out in the woods, to get a little mud on the tires," Edward said, shaking his head.

"He may have thrown a compliment Rufus' way the other night. Who isn't impressed with a cool chick in a cool truck?" I laughed, hoping in a silly, high school way that he thought I was a cool chick. I looked around the parking lot, trying to guess which vehicle was his. "Let me guess your car," I said to him, scanning the parking lot. I looked around and saw a variety of vehicles. Minivans, pick-up trucks, sedans of all ages. I turned and walked to the front of Rufus and looked to my right. That's when I was it. The silver Volvo that I had been seeing here and there since Friday.

"That's you," I said with confidence. "Silver Volvo. It has to be. Sleek, fun to drive, no doubt. Probably like to drive pretty fast when you can. It suits you," I concluded.

Edward stood there staring at me with a small smile on his lips. "Very good, Miss Swan. You nailed it."

More flirting? He was too good. "You know what they say about men's cars and perceived masculinity. Are you trying to make up for any inadequacies, Dr. Cullen?" I challenged, returning with a little smile of my own, willing myself not to creep closer to him so that I could envelop myself in his scent.

"I'm not telling this early in the relationship, Bella. Guy's gotta leave some mystery so that you keep coming back, right?" Taking his keys from his pocket, he passed by me, possibly a little closer than necessary, and called over his shoulder in that same sexy way he did this morning, "Why don't you follow me, and then I'll come over to your place." Damn Dr. Sexy with his sexy Volvo and sexy words, sucking me another step into the Forks Vortex. The Plan had its merits, but this man was testing me. I liked it, too.

We were soon at my house, and then Edward continued on to his place around the corner. I grabbed my bag and raced inside, up the stairs and into my bathroom. Stripping out of my clothes and going into my ridiculously oversized closet, I became aware of how fast my heart was racing. I froze, willing myself to take a few deep breaths.

Edward had me all worked up into a frenzy. What was the draw? Why did I feel like I had known him much longer than less than a day? Was it because I had been thinking about him, or rather the idea of him, since Friday night? I went to my dresser and pulled out a pair of yoga pants, a t-shirt that let everyone know that I had, indeed, been to Wall Drug, and a soft grey hoodie, then continued my musings. He was single. I was single. The flirting was fun. He was also so freaking delicious that I had thought of kissing him all day. And that smile. He knew that smile was like some kind of bait for my weak will. And I wasn't even going to fight it. I decided to just let things go with the flow. Pulling my hair out of its ponytail, I looked in the mirror. I brushed my hair, put a little more lip gloss on my pucker, gathered my dirty clothes, and headed downstairs to wait for Edward.

**EPOV**

Pizza was ordered by the time I passed Bella's place. I smiled to myself as I thought about my day. If someone had told me that I would be having a woman over to my place tonight, I would have laughed in their face. Not because I didn't find them attractive, mind you, but rather because it would be a pretty bold move on my part. Rosalie's characterization of my lack of sexual prowess wasn't that far off the mark. I knew that there were plenty of girls that friends and family wanted to introduce to me, but I never took them up on their offers. Now that things had settled into a routine with work, maybe I was ready to venture out into the world of dating. Bella was so easy to talk to. OK. I had to call it for what it was. We flirted. We did the little dance that two people do when there is a strong physical attraction. I could close my eyes and remember how she smelled as I passed close to her on the way to my car, like strawberries and flowers- freesia, perhaps? I was still stunned that I offered to let her use my washer and dryer, and even more amazed that she agreed. I began to get a little nervous at the thought of trying to impress her as I changed into a pair of cargo pants and an olive green t-shirt that, I must admit, emphasized the fact that I worked out. Would she even notice? I did want her to notice. I slipped on my running shoes and jogged over to Bella's.

Climbing the meticulously restored steps of Bella's house, I heard her call to me through the screen door.

"Come on in, Edward. I'll be right there. I just need to gather my things into the baskets."

I entered the foyer and headed back to the kitchen. "Is there anything that I can bring to dinner on Friday night? Wine? Dessert, maybe?" I asked. Esme raised me right, and I wanted Bella to know that I wasn't a total schmuck.

I stopped in my tracks when I saw Bella. She was bent over, picking up her detergent and putting it into her basket. When she stood back up, she did this thing with her hair, like Rita Heyworth did in an old movie that I had watched with my father once. Bella had taken her hair out of its ponytail and she flipped her long, chestnut locks over her shoulders, and they continued to cascade down her back in soft, touchable waves. I wanted to put my face in those waves and see if they smelled as wonderful as they looked. I must have been staring for a while, because she blushed and smiled a shy smile.

"You really don't have to bring anything. If you absolutely cannot show up empty-handed, then you can bring some wine, if you like. I'm making chicken Marsala. Dessert is taken care of. I'm really looking forward to being able to cook again. We will probably have to wing it when it comes to the seating situation. My little table only has room for four. We'll figure something out, I guess. Hopefully, you guys aren't coming by to evaluate my furniture situation," Bella said, handing me one of the baskets.

"Hardly, Bella. The only reason Emmett and I have any furniture that doesn't resemble frat house décor is because Mom is an interior designer. She spoils us and makes us into better men than we really are," I said with a laugh as she tossed her keys and her phone on top of her clothes and picked up the second basket. We headed out the front door, Bella pulling it shut behind her.

"I really appreciate you helping me out like this," Bella began as we loaded her things into the back of her truck. "It's so nice of you to take pity on a transient stranger!"

"Think nothing of it. I'm happy to help. Plus, I get to know you a bit better, seeing as though we've already seen each other in a little more intimate way." Shit…did I just say that out loud? Way to show your cards, Cullen.

Bella immediately blushed again, a beautiful shade of pink, but didn't take her eyes from mine. She just smiled and went to the driver's seat while I jumped in beside her. I directed her the short distance to my house, and we carried her things inside. I was desperately hoping that I didn't freak her out with my comment about getting to know each other.

"Dinner should be here any minute. The laundry room is right through there," I gestured to the right. "What can I get you to drink, Bella?" That's slightly more polite than referencing the fact that we saw each other half naked earlier today. I pulled two glasses down from the dark wood cabinets.

"Um, I'll just have a glass of water," she said, walking toward the kitchen's large island. "First load's in. So tell me about Forks. Tell me about Edward growing up in Forks. It seems like a really great place." She perched herself on a barstool, elbows on the granite, chin in her hands. She looked so adorable in that moment.

"Oh, it is. After being away for med school and my residency, I just felt like this was the place for me. I went to med school in Chicago, and did my residency in San Francisco. Big cities provide invaluable experience for an emergency room, but I'm really just a homebody. My family is pretty close, so when my dad told me that there was an opportunity to practice here, it was a no-brainer," I said with a shrug of my shoulders. I put the glass of ice water beside her and went over to my iPod on the counter by the built-in desk. I put it on shuffle, hoping that she liked Dave Matthews as his distinct voice poured through the speakers.

"Most of my assignments have been in big cities," Bella said. "I like the adrenaline rush of the ED and of the ICUs. Phoenix had some great opportunities, but when a friend told me about how much she loved traveling, I decided that since I was and relatively unattached, I might as well give it a try." Relatively unattached? What did that mean? She had a smile on her face, but I couldn't help but wonder if she found being on the go constantly a little sad.

"How many places have you been?" I asked, taking a seat on the barstool next to her. She left her right elbow on the stone and turned her body toward mine, our knees almost touching. I thought I might be imagining the pull, the electricity between us. Was it just some wishful thinking?

"Well, let's see. I began almost five years ago. My first assignment was in Dallas, where I learned to fly on helicopters. It was fun for a first assignment. I think I was really lucky they were willing to train me. I already had all of the skills for patient care. The whole idea of doing my job in a field, on a highway, or several hundred feet in the air was the new element that really cemented me in my profession. It is just such a great feeling to give everything and know that someone has another shot at living because you helped them." Bella's eyes were wide, and she had been talking in an animated way that brought her slightly closer to me. When she realized this, she blushed slightly and moved away a bit, taking a drink.

"The rush is quite intoxicating, isn't it? I've never flown in a helicopter, though I dealt with them a lot in San Francisco. Forks might see one every couple of months. Fortunately, I guess," I added. "So where did you go next?"

"Well, I'll give you the quick and dirty version," she said with a small smile falling across her very kissable lips. I tried not to stare at them, but then when she noticed that I was, she did the most innocently seductive thing I had ever seen. She sucked her bottom lip into her mouth, lightly biting on it for just a few seconds. When it popped back out, it was glistening and a shade darker. That sight sent a shock right to my groin, and I struggled not to gulp aloud.

"Forks is lucky number thirteen. But after Dallas, I worked in Tulsa, New Orleans, Atlanta, Washington, DC, New York City, Columbus, Memphis, St. Louis, Minneapolis, Kansas City, and Denver. Mostly big research or university hospitals, but in New York, I worked in a small, private hospital. And then, there's Forks General. I'm actually looking forward to a little slower pace without gunshot wounds and stabbings. I need a bit of a rest, I think."

Still feeling the effects of her lip stunt, I couldn't help but think that my big bed would be the perfect place for her to rest indefinitely.

"Wow, Bella," I said, not expecting to learn that she had been to so many different places. "You have wound your way around the country, it seems. Kind of makes what I've been doing the last five years a little anti-climactic," I babbled, immediately hearing Beavis and Butthead in my mind saying, 'Heh heh heh…he's talking about climaxes, heh heh heh.'

"Well, that's kind of my plan. You have got to promise you won't laugh," she said with her radiant smile taking over her face.

"I promise, no laughing," I said, giving her my best Boy Scout salute.

"You see, it's like this. I just want to travel and see as much of the country as I can. Visit every state. I just got the feeling that I was missing so much by staying in Phoenix, so one day, I was talking with my best friend, Jake, and we heard the song 'Route 66' play on the radio. It was at that moment The Plan was hatched. A huge road trip, going all over, ending back in Phoenix, eventually. I think I just threw myself into it. My parents and Jake were surprised, but supportive."

I felt a little jealous of Jake, whoever he was. Thinking back to her photo frame, I ventured a guess that the boy/man in some of the pictures could be him. He was her best friend? Was that all?

"So everyone's back in Phoenix?" I asked, trying not to be as obvious as to which part of the everyone I meant.

"Yeah. My parents, Charlie and Renee are great. Charlie was here along with Jake this weekend to help me move," she said, turning her body slightly toward the counter. She took what sounded like a larger than normal breath, almost wistful. "Jake and I have been friends for as long as I can remember. I honestly can't remember a time when he wasn't in my life. Having him and Charlie help me get settled is such a big help, even though lately they've been giving me grief," Bella said with a small scowl on her face.

"And why is that?" I asked her with a chuckle. I could only imagine what they did to annoy her.

"Oh, just the usual. Renee wants me to settle down already. All of her friends are marrying off their kids and becoming grandmothers. Renee gets post cards from the road and the promise that once I finish my circuit of the country, I will do my best to fulfill my daughterly obligations to her," she said with a grin across her lips. I was beginning to live for that grin. I found myself trying to think of something witty just so I could see her smile.

"It seems we have mothers who could have been separated at birth. My mom is the same way. And with both Emmett and Alice engaged, she has become relentless," I offered. "I was hoping that two engagements would take some of the heat off of me and my lack of an acceptable love life, but I think it only makes her double her efforts!" I said with a laugh.

"What is it about mothers? My mom is convinced that by moving so frequently that I am deliberately thwarting her right to my happily ever after," Bella said with a roll of her eyes.

At that time, the doorbell rang with the arrival of our pizza. I quickly went to the door to get our dinner and returned to the kitchen to find Bella reaching into the cabinet for plates. A small sliver of skin was showing between the top of her pants and the bottom of her shirt. Heavenly. She turned and caught me looking, for what seemed like the umpteenth time today. I was so subtle. I might as well just wear a sign stating, "Yes, Bella, I will ogle you and your body any chance I get." Then she blushed. Sigh.

"Are these ok?" she asked, referring to the plates, I'm sure, but I was still focused on her.

"Um, yeah. They're fine," I said, placing the pizza box on the island reaching for her glass to refill it. After seating ourselves again, I served up a slice for each of us and resumed our conversation.

"So Charlie and Jake give you a hassle about being on the go, too?" I asked, zeroing in on the subject that I wanted to hear the most about…the best friend.

"Actually, Jacob and Charlie are my biggest defenders. Charlie knows that I will land on my feet. And Jake is just happy that I'm happy. I'm bracing myself for the worst, though. Jake is going to tell Renee that he's getting married, and that will only increase her efforts to 'find Bella a man.' I love her with all of my heart, but when she starts messing with my life like that, it really makes me not like her much," Bella said and then took a ceremonious chomp of her pizza.

Was this sad news to Bella because she wanted Jake? Or because of her pestering mother. I had to ask.

"Is it not ok that Jake is going to get married?" I asked, trying not to sound like a hurt puppy dog.

Bella saw right through me. She laughed and told me, "It's fine! Really. Jake and I dated back in high school and a little in college. We determined that even though everyone else thought that we were a cute couple, we really were better off being friends. He's like a brother and a best friend all in one. And since I don't have any siblings, it fits pretty well. And his girlfriend, or rather, _fiancée, _Leah, is perfect for him. The three of us get along great. She is accepting of my relationship with Jake for what it is. And anyone I end up with would have to offer the same to Jake."

**BPOV**

Well, shit, Bella, just scare him off, why don't you? What on earth made me say that, like as a prerequisite to dating me, you have to pass the Jake test? And things were going so well…

"Are you trying to warn me to play nice with others, Bella?" Edward asked with that sexy half-smile and an eyebrow arched. Then he laughed at himself, shaking his head. "I think it's wonderful that you have someone like Jake looking after you. You seem pretty defenseless, after all."

I laughed and gave him a polite shove. "This after our rather unorthodox introduction this morning? I can hold my own, Cullen. I can handle you," I said, looking directly into his hypnotic green eyes, holding the gaze for longer than necessary. And there it was, another stupid step into the stupid Forks Vortex. He swallowed slowly, and then absentmindedly licked his lips. I was starting to get all tingly from the intensity of the stare when the buzzer for the washer went off, startling us both. I noticed that we had begun to drift toward one another again. I quickly got up and walked over to the washer. I took a deep breath, willing my heart to beat slower. It was a fruitless effort as long as I was within eyeshot of Edward Cullen. I found myself opening up to him, letting him in. I was good at doing the superficial getting to know you stuff, but wtf was up with me spilling about how Renee made me feel? About Jake and Leah? I just felt connected to Edward, and his eyes just seemed to hold me with some sort of power.

I groaned internally as I discovered that I hadn't removed my bras and panties from the basket before I started my laundry. Ugh! Edward didn't need to be seeing my unmentionables. I was just glad that my taste in undergarments was less Wal-Mart Hanes Her Way multipacks and more silky, lacey and barely there. Wearing scrubs all the time, I enjoyed having pretty things next to my skin. It made me feel confident for some reason. Cotton granny pants would be total fail.

I pulled the bras and panties out as I loaded the dryer and put them on top of the dryer, working quickly so as not to attract unwanted attention. The next load was placed into the washer and started, and the undergarments placed in the bottom of one of the baskets I had put on the dryer, hoping they would dry a bit from the residual heat. Not like hanging them up was an option right now.

I felt the need to take control of the situation. I couldn't let Edward continue to make me feel like a giddy teenager, all hormonal and infatuated.

"San Francisco is next for The Plan," I began, returning to the island for my drink. "Any advice for me?" I asked him, keeping a safe distance so as not to be captured by his gravity. If that happened, I was fairly certain that all bets were off.

For a millisecond, I thought I saw a bit of a frown on his face, but then it was gone. Was there something, or someone, that he left behind when he returned to Forks?

"When are you planning on going there?" Edward asked.

"Around the first of December," I said. "I finish up here right before Thanksgiving, and then I'll take a few weeks off in between jobs. That is all subject to change, of course. I have opted to stay longer at an assignment before."

Fucking Mike Newton. All hot and pilot-y. All sad that I was leaving until he found out I was staying. The fucker.

"Well, maybe we won't be able to go on without you, either, Bella," Edward said with a cute little smile. "I'm rather enjoying your company this evening." Vortex eyes. Must…look…away.

"The feeling is mutual," I said, followed by a bit of an awkward silence. The iPod shuffled to Debussy's "Clair de Lune." I let out a sigh and closed my eyes.

"I love this song. I took piano lessons so that I could learn this song, but my skills didn't progress much past 'Heart and Soul' and 'Chopsticks,' I'm afraid. This song just puts me in a happy place," I said, feeling the music wash over me.

"Let me show you one of my favorite possessions, then," Edward said, gesturing toward the door to the living room. I walked in front of him, smelling his Edward-ness and sidestepping the gravity.

In the beautifully restored room of rich wood and leather furniture stood a baby grand piano.

"I'm guessing you play then," I said to the handsome man next to me. Automatically, I looked at his hands, noting how long his fingers were, knowing that certainly, his hands were proficient at things other than the piano.

"It was a gift from my parents. My mother started me with lessons when I was four," he laughed. He sat at the bench, the last light of the day filtering through the windows. Then Edward began to give me my own concert. Snippets of "Clair de Lune," "Fur Elise," and the prominent melody from "Rhapsody in Blue" greeted my ears, all from memory. He ended with a totally embellished version of "Chopsticks." Motioning me to the bench beside him, he snagged me with the Vortex Eyes.

"Give me a hand with 'Heart and Soul.' Do you remember it?"

I drifted next to him, but I don't remember doing it. Sitting down next to him, I fumbled a little, finding the beginning note of the top part of the song. He began the familiar chords and began to sway a bit as he played. I was on sensory overload. I could _see_ his long, agile fingers grace the keys. I could _smell_ his scent as I pecked out the melody. I could _hear_ his music, his breathing, my heart. I could _feel_ the electricity between us, deliciously uncomfortable, as if contact with each other was the only thing that could soothe the discomfort. The only thing left was his taste, and I desperately wanted that, too.

As we played the song, him proficiently, and I as well as someone with 6 months of lessons could peck out, I felt myself start to lean into him just as I had when we were talking earlier. It was a natural action that our bodies seemed to have. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Edward smiling as we finished up our duet. As the last note died away, he turned to me, beaming.

"I don't think I have ever heard a better duet," he said with a laugh.

"I think it could be better if _you_ practiced more," I teased, gently leaning into him with my shoulder. Then, I lost my balance on the narrow bench and began to fall backward. Two strong arms caught me and I was _thisclose_ to Edward's beautiful face. I surveyed his eyes, green and mesmerizing, and then, his perfect lips. It seemed like forever that we sat there like that, and then the buzzer to the dryer jerked us from the moment.

"Saved by the bell," Edward sheepishly said as he released me, stood, and offered his hand to help me from my seated position. It was a gentlemanly gesture that seemed to fit him well. I didn't quite know what to say, so I just smiled, and blushed, of course, and began to walk toward the laundry room. He followed behind me.

I gathered my warm clothes from the dryer and placed them in the basket, which Edward immediately took over to the island to fold. I put the second load of clothes in to dry, quickly collected myself and returned to help him.

"So how do they divvy up the holidays as far as scheduling goes?" I asked. I was in avoidance mode, hoping to keep the conversation away from my pounding heart and the blush that gave away my interest in all things Edward.

"Well, we pretty much just alternate. If you work Memorial Day, you have July 4th off, then you work Labor Day and have Thanksgiving off, work Christmas, then New Years off. I know that many of the people who don't have young kids offer to take Christmas for the ones who do so that they don't miss out on seeing the faces of the little ones when they see what Santa has brought."

"That's really nice. Were people always that considerate of your dad when you were little? Letting him be there for moments like that?" I asked, grabbing a warm shirt and folding it.

"You know, they really were. One of the older docs, actually, the doctor I replaced, Dr. Gerandy, always split the day with my dad when we were young. His kids were older and would return for the big family dinner, so they would so a twelve hour shift going from 4 am to 4 pm. Carlisle was able to be home and see us open presents and we would have an early dinner, then Dr. Gerandy was ably to have an evening with his family." Edward was smiling, lost in his memories for a moment.

"Well, I am working Memorial Day," I said, "so I guess I'll be off for the fireworks. I love that! It's my favorite part of the summer. It makes me feel like a kid. I love to watch all of the colors. I 'oooh' and 'aaah' as loud as anyone." Internally, I snickered at the double meaning, hoping my blush wouldn't be triggered.

"That's great… we're on the same rotation, it sounds like. We usually have a big picnic at my parent's house on the 4th. You'll have to come. Forks has a pretty decent fireworks display every year. It'll be great!" Edward said, grinning like a 10 year old. It pleased me to no end that we would be working a lot together. That also meant we would have a lot of the same days off together.

I grabbed the last set of scrub pants from the basket, and Edward reached into the bottom and brought up a slightly damp pair of lacy midnight blue boy shorts. I let out a squeak and tried to take them from his hands. He laughed loudly and immediately raised them over his head. I was mortified with his little game of keep away, but after all of the flirting and sexual tension mounting, I was also slightly turned on. In for a penny, in for a pound, I realized, so I located the matching bra in the tangle of lingerie at the bottom of the basket. With a smug smile, I tossed the bra to the good doctor. He had a puzzled look on his face, so I explained.

"It's a matching set. One's no good without the other. Why be just a panty thief when you can have the whole set, Edward?" I then took a step toward him, tucked the bra into his waistband and loaded my folded clothes into the basket. Game. On.

Edward just stood there with an incredulous smile on his face while I walked past him to the powder room. I needed a moment to myself.

**EPOV**

The door to the powder room shut and I was left there with her sexy panties in my hand and her bra tucked next to my left hip. Shit. I had grabbed the panties as a joke, to tease her a little. It appears that I am the one being teased. I looked in my hand at the lacy fabric. I recalled how creamy and smooth her skin was this morning with perfect clarity. This shade of blue would look lovely next to that skin. I stopped and tried to clear my head. I hadn't had this much fun getting to know someone, well, ever. It was like we were two halves of the whole, even though I barely knew Bella. She was smart, gorgeous, funny, and playful. More importantly, she was making me feel all of those things too. I felt that I could let down my guard with Bella. And I could tell that she was letting some walls down as well. I could tell despite her brave face that her best friend getting married was going to be difficult for her. I felt much the same way about the nuptials of my siblings. It's hard when you're the odd man out. I felt as if the gods had been very generous to me in sending Bella my way. I decided that it was time to accept gift before me, and it wasn't just the lingerie.

Bella emerged from the powder room and met me with a smile, simple and sweet. I looked down at my feet and cleared my throat.

"Bella, here are your, um, things back," I said, offering the bra and panties. She continued to smile at me and didn't reach for them.

"No, Cullen, you won this round of capture the flag. Enjoy your victory. You earned it," Bella said with a sinful smile and an arch of her eyebrow. I swallowed hard, not really sure why. I felt like that look she gave me shot straight to my Johnson. How can one woman be so cute and innocent and wholesome, yet so utterly sexy, too?

"Well, why don't I show you the rest of what Emmett did with this place?" I said, trying to change the subject, and not entirely sure about what I should be doing with Bella's underwear. Like a lame ass, I opted just to carry it around like it was an everyday occurrence.

"You have a fantastic fireplace there," Bella noted, pointing to the formal dining room. It was one of 3 fireplaces in the house, the other two being in the piano room and the TV room. I steered her toward the staircase and encouraged her to go up.

"Emmett has always been a builder. Whether it was sand castles or Legos, he was always designing, revising, making it better. I know for a fact that he has enough Legos to fill two 55 gallon drums! His kids are going to be so lucky!"

I showed Bella my office, the guest room, and guest bath. Then I paused awkwardly in front of my bedroom. Would she think I was weird or creepy showing her my room? Get real, Cullen! The girl stuffed her bra in your pants. I opened the door and she went in.

"I really love the colors and textures that your mom has chosen for the rooms, Edward," Bella said. "It feels warm and cozy, like you could just stay in this room all day without a care in the world. A personal retreat of sorts."

"That's exactly how I see it. My mom knew I would be busy and stressed as I was starting out, and she told me she wanted to create a personal sanctuary for me," I commented, looking at Bella in the soft light.

"That is just how I feel about my bedroom and bath. It's like your mom crawled into my head and picked out what I wanted most. I am still stunned that I get to live there!" Bella said excitedly. Her eyes shone and I just wanted to touch her hair, her cheek.

From downstairs, we heard the dryer again. I absentmindedly put Bella's undergarments on my bed and descended the stairs with her. I watched her walk toward the kitchen, taking in the details of my home. She stopped in front of a photo I had on my wall. It was taken right after I had returned to Forks. Emmett, Rose, Alice, Jasper, and I were sitting on an outcropping of rocks near the river on my parents' property. Esme had taken the picture and gave framed copies to each of us last Christmas.

"You guys are pretty close," Bella said softly, turning her head to look at me.

"Yeah, we are. We've been friends pretty much since birth. I really did miss them while I was away. I remember the day that picture was taken. I had just closed on this house and moved in. Those guys helped me unload all of my stuff in 90 degree heat, and the next day, my mom had a party to welcome me back. Emmett asked Rose to marry him about an hour after this," I said with a smile. It was a fantastic day.

"Isn't that funny," Bella said. "They helped me unload my things when I moved in, too. Alice was all drill sergeant, while Emmett and Jasper did just as she asked. It was so hilarious!"

"Well that sounds like my sister. She likes to say the reason she is so small is because I took up all of the room, so she's just making up for her stunted growth by being bossy," I said with a laugh. I made a mental note to have lunch with Alice soon. I began to help folding the rest of her clothes she took from the dryer, and then I froze. "I'm not going to find any other unmentionables, am I?" I asked with a glint in my eye. I have to admit, part of me was hoping I would.

"No, my pervy new friend, just shirts and shorts here. But I will be doing a count of my garments, just in case," she said with a wink, placing a red shirt in the basket.

I folded the last shirt and placed the yellow article on top of the others. I looked at my watch and noticed that it was already 9:30. It seemed like Bella had just gotten here. I saw her check her watch as well.

"Goodness!" she said, blowing all of the air from her lungs. "I didn't mean to keep you this late, Edward. I'll get out of your hair so that you can relax. I know that I have another exciting day tomorrow at 7am. You too, right?" Her eyes were hopeful.

"Yes," I said. "I'm on days Wednesday and Thursday, and a rare 3 day weekend off. Of course, I'm on the following holiday weekend, but I guess I knew that my schedule would be nuts when I signed up for this. I don't think I could get used to steady clinic hours," I confessed, picking up the basket.

Bella grabbed her detergent, phone and keys, placing them in the other basket. As we headed out the front door to her truck, Bella giggled. "I'm glad that you volunteered to help me in my wardrobe's time of need, "she said, "Even if I had to make a sacrifice to the lingerie gods!"

Honestly, I don't know what made me do it. We had been dancing around each other since this morning, really. I knew that the attraction wasn't one-sided. But my severe lack of skills as a player wasn't going to stop me from at least letting Bella know that I was definitely interested. After she closed the gate on her truck, I reached over and softly cupped her elbow.

"I'm glad I was able to spend time with you tonight, Bella. You're like a breath of fresh air to me in this small town." With that said I leaned in and kissed her cheek lightly. She blushed a beautiful shade of dark pink, but kept looking at me. A smile crept across her face. It was glorious and I thought I felt my heart flutter. I felt as if I was in some serious uncharted territory, but I had an overwhelming feeling that this was right, whatever it was that I was feeling.

"Thank you, Edward. You've helped me out in more ways than one," she said, squeezing my forearm. I dreaded that she would have to break the touch and go home.

I went the short distance with her to the driver's seat, opened the door for her, and closed it securely behind her. She started Rufus and squeezed my arm again. "See you tomorrow morning?" she smiled.

"Absolutely," I said with a goofy grin. As she drove away around the corner, I waved, then brought the hand to the back of my head and scratched mindlessly. I liked Bella Swan. It was going to be a fun summer with her here.

**So, you've been reading and don't know what to write in a review? This is what I do… first, I scroll down all the way and click review to open that little window. As I read, I copy and paste the lines I like into said new window. When I finish, I write some witticisms to go along with what I like, or ask pertinent questions. Sometimes I just say "good job" and leave it at that. Totes not being a review whore. Just me giving a little lesson in reviewing 101. Do this for all that you read. You have no idea the power your thoughts hold over the author. So I hear. **

**Pimping: Coveting by halawia; Antithesis by gkkstitch (completed, btw…out takes coming soon); As Heaven Breaks by myheroin; Scarred by courthale. Now get to it!!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Oh, my friends, I apologize for the craptastic fail on my part. I could feed you a line of excuses, but doubt you'd really care. I tried to make up with a long chap…10K+ words. Hopefully I can earn your respect again! **

**Many thanks to my marvelous beta, texbelle. She's the shizz. My cyber sis Sherry is the coolest. Wish you lived down the street, kiddo! **

**The universe that is Twilight belongs to Stephenie Meyer. She is the best for letting us play in her sandbox. **

**So let's recap, since it has been like effing forever. Bella is in Forks. Jake's marrying Leah. Bella feels lonely, wondering if she's ready to put her heart out there again after Mike broke it in a really crappy way. She meets the gang, minus Edward, her first night in Forks and feels immediately like these people could be friends. Bella's first day goes well, having a near-nude experience with the fantastic Edward. He's wowed by her hotness, and Bella needs a new pair of panties after seeing him in a towel. They meet up again after her shift that evening, and he so gallantly offers the use of his washer and dryer since her place will be without for a few more days. They have a close encounter of the kissing kind, and Edward ends up being an unintentional panty thief. After a chaste cheek kiss goodnight, Bella leaves Edward's house with a smile on her face and confusion in her mind and heart as to whether she needs to stick to her plan and just do her six months in Forks and move on, or take a chance and see where things might lead with the delicious Dr. Cullen. **

**We now will get to see what it is like when these two kids are forced to work together for twelve hours…**

**BPOV**

I smiled all the way home. I kept smiling as I unloaded my baskets in the dark. All the way up the stairs, I had a silly, goofy grin on my face. The evening I had spent with Edward Cullen was one of the most fun, most genuinely relaxing nights I had had in quite a while. I had absurdly high hopes that it would only get better from here.

Being with Edward was effortless. The conversation flowed naturally with no awkward silences and no one person dominating the other. His smile was easy and his laugh infectious. We bounced from subject to subject, and the flirting, oh! The flirting was the best part. The sacrifice of that bra and panty set was worth it to see the look on Edward's face. I thought for a minute that I was being a bit too forward when I tucked the bra into his shorts like I did, but he didn't seem to mind. And I think he was able to deduce that I was interested.

So, what was it that I was feeling? I felt this pull toward Edward, and I am fairly certain that he felt it as well. Since my Mike Newton experience, however, I had been reluctant, even afraid, to let myself get close to any guys. Sure, I went on the occasional date, but never felt sparks with any guys. Definitely nothing like tonight. All of the casual touches here and there throughout the evening were simply wonderful. Edward was a perfect gentleman, right down to the kiss on my cheek. That little kiss had me all flustered and excited and wanting much more.

I needed to talk to Jake. He was the only person who knew me better than I did. He could help me sort through these feelings. I put the rest of my clothes away, pulled out my scrubs for the following morning, and picked up my phone.

_j- can you talk? Need to pick your brain about something. Will be up until about 11pm. XOXO-b_

I shot off the text and went to find my pajamas. As I was brushing my teeth, I heard my phone beep. There was a text back from Jacob.

_b- sure. Call me.-j_

I laughed to myself. Jake was king of the short texts. I climbed into my huge, fluffy, king size bed and dialed his number. He answered on the first ring.

"What it is, Bells?" Jake asked with a laugh. I felt like I hadn't talked to my best friend in weeks, when in reality, it had been less than two days.

"Hey, yourself. How are you? How's Leah?" I asked, stalling a bit. I was a little nervous about talking to Jake for some reason. He picked up on that strategy right away.

"We're fine. What's up with ya? Bad day at work?" Jake asked.

"Actually it was a great first day. Not the hustle and bustle of Denver, but the slower pace is very much welcomed. I was barfed on by a little girl, and then met someone that has my mind in an uproar," I began. Jake had an appreciation for as few words as possible. I needed to cut to the chase with him, and this direct form of communication served two purposes. It forced me to just say what I was thinking without ruminating over it, as well as obtaining the valued opinion of my friend.

I heard Jake snort. "Which part do you need help with?" he teased.

"Oh, Jake. You know how Mike really screwed me over. It has been so hard for me to trust guys. But today, I met someone who has the ability to win me over, I think, and I'm scared. He's funny, charming, polite to a fault, and pretty easy on the eyes," I gushed. Gah! Admitting my feelings out loud to Jacob was like ripping off a Band-Aid. It was less painful in the long run.

"So, what's the problem, Bells? It's not like you are picking out china patterns and planning a honeymoon. Get to know him. What's his name? How'd you meet him?"

"It's Edward Cullen. Emmett and Alice's brother? I ran into him at work today and we really hit it off. We hung out this evening, and I had such a nice time. Like butterflies in my stomach, staring at him with ga ga eyes, total flirting nice time. I have never felt such a strong pull toward someone in my life, no offense," I said, knowing that Jake would understand.

"Does Bella Swan have a crush? That's so cute!" Jacob teased. I let out a groan. "Oh, I'm just kidding, Bella. How do you think he feels? Was he flirting back with you?"

"He was. He has these eyes that are just mesmerizing. As I left his place tonight, he kissed my cheek like a perfect gentleman. It all felt so right. And I'm tired of being alone," I said, the last sentence much softer.

"Bella, no matter what, you're never alone."

"I know that I have you and my parents. But is Renee right? Am I running?"

"I don't think you're running, Bells," Jake said, reassuring me. "I think that you just have a plan, an idea of how you want things to be. There's not one thing wrong with that. I think that if you feel something with Edward, even after such a short amount of time, and then pursue it. Live a little."

I thought about Jake's words. He was right. Mike and Edward were as different as night and day. And there was no reason why I shouldn't get to know Edward better. I would be working with him a lot, just as much as I had with Mike. Perhaps even more.

"I'm just so scared, Jake. Really. I don't want to put my heart out there, only to have it broken again. It just hurts too much," I said, willing the tears from my eyes.

"Love isn't without risk, Bella, but when you find it, it's worth it and so much more. Trust your gut. You are truly a good judge of character. Mike was a fluke. Is how you felt tonight with Edward different than how you felt with Pilot Boy?"

I stopped a minute to think on this. "You know, it is, on so many levels. I felt infatuated with Mike, I think. Self conscious. Always thinking that he had a bit of a wandering eye. The feeling I get with Edward is such a sincere one. Focused. Dare I say consuming?"

"Consuming? Like he's going to eat you alive like a vampire? I'm just kidding. I do know what you are trying to say, I think. Like you can't get close enough? I feel that way with Leah. I knew it was love with her when it physically hurt to be away from her. It didn't matter if it was an hour or a day; I ached when she was away from me. At first, I thought I was going crazy, but Leah told me one night before we parted that she never liked leaving me, that it gave her a 'Jake Ache.' That's when I knew I was in love with her." I could almost see Jacob smiling over the phone. He was a lovesick fool, all six feet, seven inches of him.

"Thanks, Jake. You have successfully talked me off of the ledge again. I think I'll just go with the flow with Edward. I can tell that he's not a player. He seems almost a little shy. Maybe I can shake up his summer a bit!" I joked.

"That's my girl. Just trust yourself. You can't be so busy making a living that you forget to make a life, Bella. Have fun!" Even though Jake wasn't destined to be the love of my life, he certainly was one of the reasons that I knew love. And I knew he was right.

"I love you, Jacob Black. That Leah Clearwater is a lucky girl. Still planning on popping the question next weekend?" I asked, wanting to deflect a little of the attention from myself.

"Oh, yes, I am! I talked to her parents and grandparents the other night. I even showed the ring to them and everything. Some of the cousins are making a special cake. God, I hope she says yes!" Jake said with a nervous laugh. It never occurred to me that Jake would be afraid of being turned down.

"Jake! Are you kidding me? The girl was made for you. I only wish I could be there for the party! Promise you'll call me afterwards? I'll be working days that weekend, but I'll have my phone on, ok?" I begged.

"Sure, sure. Anything for you, Bells. I better let you go so that you can get some sleep. You're working tomorrow, right?"

"Yeah, and Thursday, too. It's not bad, really. And…Edward's working at the same time, so that should be fun," I said with hint of playfulness.

"Try not to attack him in the call room or anything," Jake said. I blushed six shades of red and tried not to scream. I would never live that story down if he got a hold of it.

"I won't Jake. I'll talk to you soon. Love you," I said, smiling and grateful for such a good friend.

"Love you, too. Be good," he said, and I pushed the button to end the call.

I flopped back on my bed and heaved a big sigh. Edward liked me, and I liked him. It was all very new and exciting. I was jumping out of my skin as I remembered how he kissed my cheek, the feel of his stubble next to me. Sitting next to him on the piano bench with the buzzing all around us was simply divine. Tomorrow, working with him for twelve hours was going to be interesting, to say the least. Thoughts of piano music and a certain green eyed doctor filled my thoughts as I drifted to sleep.

**EPOV**

Twelve hours with Bella today. I smiled to myself as I got ready for what I hoped would be a fantastic day at work. The time I spent with her last night was delightful, playful, and dare I say a little bit sensual. Closing my eyes, I could still feel the charge of electricity that I felt sitting next to her on the piano bench. I felt such a connection at that moment. I couldn't help but hope that she felt it, too.

I haven't flirted like that ever. Bella brought out something in me, a confidence that I had never felt with a woman before. Confidence wasn't quite the right word, though. There was an easiness, a familiarity that had begun to pull new emotions to the surface for me. The result was a need for more: more touches, more closeness, and more kisses. I also needed to simply know more about her. What was it like flying? Why did she become a nurse? What was her favorite dessert? What were her guilty pleasures?

I pulled into the parking lot, automatically looking for her beloved Rufus. Really, Rufus? I smiled, half wondering what unique name she might give my car. I didn't see the Toyota, but knew it would be here soon, and that made me smile like a fool.

James Shaw was finishing up some paperwork as I entered the department. It appeared that he had had a fairly steady night.

"How goes it, Edward?" James asked. His shoulder length hair was pulled neatly into a ponytail, and according to Alice, my style and fashion authority, his beard was just the right amount of scruffiness.

"Really well, James. How was the getaway with Vicki? Were you able to get her to leave her patients for three uninterrupted days?" James' wife, Vicki, was one of the town's two OB/GYNs, and it seemed that she was in high demand.

"We only had three calls interrupting the bliss. That one from you the other night, and then two false alarms. If I wasn't so sure that the woman freaking adored me, I might think that she sat there secretly willing her pager to go off. That's why I chose the ED. Treat 'em and street 'em!"

"What wonderful bedside manner!" said the voice I had been hearing in my dreams all night. I turned to see Bella standing at the nurses' station, messenger bag across her torso and a stainless travel mug in her hand. Her hair was pulled back into a braid. I felt my pulse quicken as I smiled at her.

"Bella Swan, this is James Shaw, one of our ED physicians. I can vouch for his impeccable bedside manner, by the way. James, this is Bella. She's an RN who has travelled our country far and wide before landing here in our delightful town," I said. "She'll be lending us her talents for the next six months." I was also hoping to show her a few talents of my own, but that discussion was for another, more private time.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Bella. Where's home for you?" James asked.

"Truthfully? Home is wherever I am. If I had to call any place home, it would be Phoenix, I guess. That's where I grew up, and where the parental unit lives. But I have been all over."

"A fellow desert rat? I grew up in Las Vegas. Forks is about as different from our neck of the woods as you can get, don't you think?" James said with an easy smile. "I moved here to the land of evergreens and rain clouds for love." A goofy grin was plastered on his face.

**BPOV**

Edward proceeded to tell me how James and his wife Victoria moved here after she accepted a position to practice in Forks upon completion of her residency in Seattle. She was from Olympia, originally, so she was able to see her family fairly often.

"Will you be floating the whole place, Bella, or are you loyal to us here in the ED? I only ask because I know that they could use help from time to time upstairs where Vicki is. They have been trying to lure a midwife to Forks, but no takers yet. I'm sure that the girls up there would welcome you with open arms, if your contract allows."

"It's funny that you say that, James, because L & D is one area where I'd love to go while I'm here. Hopefully in the next couple of weeks," I said as I pulled my stethoscope and a few other necessities from my bag.

"I'll put in a good word for you. Now you'll have to excuse me while I check out to Edward and get out of here. I always have a hard time adjusting to the first night shift after a vacation. I'm beat!" With that, James and Edward went into the small conference area to discuss the three patients that had yet to be released either to their homes or to a bed in the hospital. I found Glenda and Angela talking to the night nurses, Sherry, Erin, and Rob. It seemed like everyone here was pretty friendly, with the exception of Lauren, the HR ho. I was greeted with smiles and introduced to my co-workers. We discussed the patients, decided who would go where and began our shift.

Edward and I exchanged glances for the first few hours. Most of our conversations consisted of work related things, and the occasional small talk. When we found a bed for our last patient, a diabetic whose blood glucose was out of control, we took a break.

"Edward, did you bring your iPod today?" Glenda asked. "I think we need a little music to work with, don't you?"

"Actually, no, Glenda. I forgot it at home this morning. I was a little distracted when I left," Edward said, looking at me with a bit of a blush. Was I the distraction? I'd love to know.

"I have mine, Glenda," I offered. "I'm not sure if Dr. Cullen has as cool taste in music as I do, but you're welcome to browse." The smirk I had on my face was all that he needed to begin the playful banter again.

"You wound me with your words, Nurse Bella!" Edward joked, clutching his heart. "Let me be the judge of your coolness. I was voted 'Most Likely to Succeed,' 'Best Hair,' and 'Funniest' back in the day, was I not, Angela?"

"Oh, yes, Edward, you were quite the trendsetter. Your defense of the whole Milli Vanilli debacle was admirable, to be sure," Angela giggled.

"Milli Vanilli? Are you serious? You will not find such vile attempts at music sullying my playlists, Dr. Cullen. Only the coolest stuff is allowed on my iPod," I assured him in mock snootery.

I jacked my Nano into the iHome, and Glenda came over to peruse my songs. Just then Carlisle came in. Glenda cued up a song, and began to laugh.

"Here's your song, Carlisle! Does Esme sing this to you?" Glenda said, with a shit-eating grin on her face. She was by far becoming the coolest grandma-type person I knew.

I listened and heard Dusty Springfield start to croon about the preacher man's son. I must have had a weird look on my face, because Carlisle laughed and began to explain.

"My father was, indeed, a preacher. Esme went to our church, and I would always find a way to tag along when he was visiting certain parishioners with the last name of Platt. After the first visit, he knew my ulterior motives. He gave up hope that I was trying to learn more about what it was like to have a calling and to minister to the flock after the first visit to Esme's parent's house. Her parents were a little on the strict side, so he would tell me ahead of time when he would be going by the Platt farm."

"The Rev was trying to hook you up, Carlisle!!" Glenda snorted. Love. Her.

"Oh, gross, Glenda! That's my parents you are talking about!" Edward squeaked and began singing "lalalalalala" with his fingers in his ears.

"Glenda, you have to stop hanging out with the youth. Hearing you talk about 'hooking up' is disturbing!" Angela chuckled.

"Y'all are just jealous that I am the coolest person over 21 that you know," Glenda razzed, and went to the store room, belting out the part of the song about "stealing kisses from me on the side."

"Is she gone?" Edward asked with one eye open.

"Yes, Dr. Cullen. You won't have to endure any more of Glenda's abuse," I smirked

"Well, she gives as good as she gets, I suppose. I really do love working with her. It makes the brain bleach I have to carry in my pocket worth it," Edward laughed.

It was just Edward and I in the small room. When I realized this, I felt a blush start to rise, but somehow managed to control it. I looked at his devastatingly beautiful eyes and the crazy way his hair was arranged on his head and decided to be a bit daring.

"You know, if the thought of your parents hooking up bothers you too much, perhaps you can think about my stolen panties as a distraction," I said in a low voice close to his ear.

Then I saw his Adam's apple bob as he swallowed slowly and watched as a slight shiver ran over his shoulders. I had him. He felt the connection, as well.

"Bella," he breathed into my ear, "We're not in the locked privacy of the call room, but perhaps we can discuss this later?" He then lightly ran his nose along my jaw line and placed the tiniest of kisses at the corner of my mouth. It was just a tease that left me looking for a discreet way to direct some friction between my legs. He had me.

**EPOV**

I looked at Bella's beautiful eyes and gave her a crooked grin, looking through my lashes. I walked out of the room, trying to look as if there was some planned direction that I was going, when really I was going over in my mind the drug dosages of epinephrine for a 150-pound man in cardiac arrest. Anything to keep me from getting wood in the very revealing scrub pants that I was wearing. Damn! Her hot breath on my ear was one of the sexiest things. I felt my body react immediately, as I'm sure she did. She went from zero to vixen in no time flat, and it was the most gloriously frustrating thing that had happened to me ever. I needed to find a way to spend more time with her. We were both off Friday, but that was the night she was having all of us to dinner. Perhaps we could go running together. Another opportunity to see more of her creamy, pale skin is just what the doctor ordered.

**~**~**~**

Carlisle informed us that he would return later after his administrative meeting, begging us to page him if he was needed. He wasn't looking forward to spending the afternoon with people arguing over the best way to allocate the hospital's resources.

We all had lunch together in the department. One of the local drug reps brought subs and soda to entice us to keep using the brand of painkiller he was hawking. It was one of the perks of the job, along with free pens, notepads, and coffee mugs.

Halfway through our sandwiches and amid blushing looks between Bella and myself, there came a commotion from the front hall near the station.

"Someone's gotta help me!!" wailed a young girl, belly heavy with child. She couldn't have been more than sixteen, and she was afraid and terribly alone.

Bella jumped up and took control of the situation, guiding her to an exam room, soothing the girl and trying to gather what had happened.

"I'm 37 weeks along," the girl said, tears streaming down her face. "I'm pretty sure that my water broke, and I feel like I have to push!" As if on cue, she let out a loud groaning, screaming sound and doubled over by the side of the bed.

"Sweetheart, what's your name?" I asked, while Bella pulled the curtain around her and began to get her into a hospital gown. Angela and Glenda began to get the fetal monitor and blood draw equipment ready for our patient.

"My name's Janie Thompson. I, I'm not from around here. Is the baby OK?" she asked with such fear and concern in her eyes. It was one of those situations where you could tell that safe delivery of the baby wasn't going to be the end of the fear, however. Her clothes were worn, but fairly clean. She wore a pair of cheap flip flops and she seemed a little underweight despite the belly from the child she carried.

"Well, Janie, let's get you hooked up to the monitor and have a look at your baby. Do you have any other health concerns?" I asked.

"Not that I know of," she said.

"My name is Dr. Cullen, and these fine nurses are Bella, Glenda and Angela. I'm going to leave for a minute while they get you situated into a fresh gown and on to the monitor. I'll be right back. Glenda, when you can, an OB panel and a UA. Janie, I'm going to call Dr. Shaw, one of our obstetricians, and let her know we may have a customer for her, OK?" I told the girl while trying to be reassuring.

I went back to the nurses' station to page Vicki, hoping she wasn't already tied up in surgery or another delivery when Glenda poked her head out of the exam room door and said in her patented urgent voice that didn't scare the patients, "Dr. Cullen, we need you, _now_."

Throwing the phone back on the cradle, I turned and ran for the exam room. I found Angela there, holding a sterile gown for me, Glenda at Janie's bedside, instructing her how to push, and Bella in the catcher's position, saying to me, "She was crowning, and there's no stopping this little one! OK, Janie, give me one more push and we'll have the hardest part over. The shoulders will be out and we can put this baby on your belly instead of in it. Good girl, that's it, that's it! You're doing great! And it's a….GIRL!"

"It appears I'm all dressed up with no date for the prom," I said, laughing and looking at the beautiful miracle in Bella's hands. She suctioned the baby girl's nose and mouth expertly and placed her on her mother's chest. Clamping the cord, I stood next to Bella smiled.

"Would you like to do the honors, Dr. Cullen?" Bella said in a soft voice, fitting for the touching scene before us as Janie looked upon her daughter for the first time.

"I'd be delighted," I replied, severing the last physical tie between the two, praying the emotional bond would be just as strong between them. Parenthood was tough under the best of circumstances, and I hoped that Janie had a supportive family as she began this journey so young.

"That was quick!" Janie said between her tears. "Welcome to the world, Anneliese," the young mother cooed.

"Honey, this all happened so fast, I don't even think we got your last name! Tell you what, if you could, let me take that beautiful baby Anneliese over to the scale and get her cleaned up and snug, and Dr. Cullen and Bella can help you right here," Glenda said in her reassuring way to Janie while Bella looked at me with a somewhat frightened look on her face.

Smiling down at her, I squeezed Bella's shoulder. "You did a fantastic job, Bella. Baby looks great, and Mom looks considerably better than when she came in. Was that your first delivery?"

"I have assisted in many, but this was my first time in the driver's seat, so to speak. It all happened so quick…I'm sorry that I didn't try harder too slow things…" Bella began, clearly nervous.

"Are you kidding me? Babies wait for no one. I think Janie did most of the work, though," I said, turning to the patient in front of us. "How are you feeling? You really didn't tear, so there's no need for stitches. That's surprising for as fast as you delivered." I was trying to bring Janie into our conversation, but she was fixated on the little baby with Glenda and Angela.

"Five pounds, fifteen ounces and nineteen inches long. She's a cute little peanut, your little Anneliese. Let's go see Mommy, little one," Angela said. All wrapped up with a stockinette cap on, Anneliese was placed into her mother's arms, the two of them lost in their own little world.

Bella excused herself to go call report to OB, while I tended to the post-partum aspects of Janie's care. Glenda obtained as much information as we could get for the hospital records. When Bella returned, she informed us that once Dr. Shaw came by, we would be transferring Janie and the baby upstairs.

Vicki arrived and thanked us all for a job well done, then ushered us out of the room so that she could assess her new patient. We all took our paperwork to the conference room and sat down.

"I don't know about you, but that was the most intense hour I've had in quite a while," Angela said with a laugh. "I am so thankful it ended well. What is her story, Glenda?"

"The poor dear is a runaway, believe it or not. When she found out she was pregnant, she had barely turned fifteen. Her parents kicked her out, and the baby's father wouldn't have anything to do with her. She says she's from Idaho, but I'm not sure if that's the truth. She had few checkups during the pregnancy, and was living in shelters and on the streets, trying to avoid the authorities so she wouldn't get sent back home. Poor girl is a mess. She has had a rough seven months, and I can't say that things look that much better for her now that she's given birth." Glenda was shaking her head, troubled by the thoughts of what's to come for them.

"Well, Social Services has been contacted, and they will be checking in on her later this afternoon," Bella offered. "I can't possibly imagine being so young and so alone with a baby. Life is hard enough, you know?

We worked on our respective papers, and then Vicki poked her head in. "Hi guys…that was about as fast as they get, from the sounds of it."

"Yes, it was. How is Janie doing?" I asked.

"Everything appears to be going well. She had a bit of a rough time of it lately, it seems. Angela, could you go and stay with her until she is transferred upstairs? She may not say so, but I think she would welcome the company," Vicki said, compassion evident in her voice.

"I'm on it. Bella, I want to talk to you before you leave tonight. I was wondering if we could switch shifts. I'll work for you tomorrow if you can take my Saturday?"

Bella looked up from her charting and smiled. "Sure. I'll be sure to find you. Holler if you need help, Angela."

Oddly enough, I felt a pang of loss shoot through me. I was counting on working with Bella today and tomorrow. _Does_ _your_ _vagina_ _hurt_ _now_, _Cullen?_

"Vicki, with all of the excitement, I forgot to introduce you to Bella. Bella Swan, this is Dr. Victoria Shaw. Vicki, Bella will be here through most of November. You might even see her up in your hallowed halls upstairs from time to time."

"It's nice to meet you, Bella. From what I hear, you delivered your first baby today! You did a fantastic job. Janie told me that between the lot of you, she felt very calm, as if it were something you all did every day. I don't think I could have done a better job myself."

Bella smiled and blushed a bit. "Thanks, Dr. Shaw. I have to say, I can certainly see why you love your job. I'm a bit of an adrenaline junkie, and I never anticipated the rush of actually delivering a child," Bella marveled.

"Call me Vicki, please. And that rush happens every single time! Maybe we can lure you into our coven upstairs, away from this place," Vicki laughed. "A competent and confident set of hands is always welcome."

"Vicki, Jeebus, it's her second day! At least let her get through one pay cycle before you steal her from us!" I exclaimed, hoping I wasn't coming across as too possessive. The only thing better would have been to mark her with my scent. Ugh!

"Relax, Cullen…just letting her know that she has a place to go when she gets tired of you guys! Now, Edward, let's go and finish up with Miss Janie so we can get her the help she needs. Glenda spoke with her and got some history, right?"

"That's right, Vicki," Glenda said, peeking into the room. "I'll fill you guys in while we transfer our patients."

I stole a look at Bella and smiled at her. "Be right back. Fifteen minutes, tops. Angela knows what to do if we have anyone come through the doors."

Bella flashed me a brilliant smile and laughed. "I think I can hold down the fort. I'll work on getting that exam room reset for the next lucky customer with Angela. Shoo!"

**BPOV**

After Janie was taken upstairs, Angela and I took care of things in the exam room. "About tomorrow, Angela? I can switch with you if you'd like. Rosalie is having my new washer and dryer delivered tomorrow, so that would work out well. What day do you need off?"

"I was hoping that I could switch Saturday with you. Ben scored tickets to a band that he has wanted to see forever. He seems pretty hell bent on taking me. They're supposed to be fantastic live, and it's a small venue, acoustic type show. If you can't, it's not a problem. It's night shift, though. Do you mind?"

The night shift was actually my preferred time to work. "Totally not a problem, Ang. Your 7 PM Saturday for my 7 AM Thursday then?"

"Yup. Thanks a ton, Bella. I'll make a note on the schedule and let Glenda know. You handled yourself like a pro in that delivery. I have assisted a few times, but never actually delivered the baby. Have you given any thought to being a midwife? You really helped Janie calm down and focused her on the task at hand," said Angela as we took the linens off of the bed and began to disinfect it.

"I do have plans to start school to become a nurse practitioner after this assignment. I have never given much thought to midwifery, though. Maybe I'll check into it, though. The rush was indescribable!" I was still higher than a kite, to be honest. As soon as I saw the baby's head, something inside me just kicked in to crisis management mode. I didn't even notice Edward standing there gowned up until it was time to cut the cord. I kind of felt weird taking charge, but also very satisfying. "I hope that Edward didn't think I was overstepping my responsibility," I added, half to myself, half to Angela.

"I wouldn't worry, Bella. Edward isn't like that. I know there are some docs who are reluctant to let nurses practice to their full abilities, but Edward, as well as Carlisle and James, encourage us and value our input. Nobody practices outside the scope of their license, of course, but we all work together quite well, anticipating what is needed. Ultimately, they write the orders and we carry them out, but there is a level of trust there that enables us to work seamlessly."

"That is a great feeling. In a lot of the places I have worked, the attitude toward the nursing staff wasn't as pleasant. I think my stress level just decreased by several notches!" But how does the fact that I want to bang the shit out of one of those docs figure in to the mix? I guess I just have to take it as it comes, so to speak.

As we were finishing up, Edward and Glenda returned from OB. Janie was getting settled, and Social Services were going to do their best to help her in any way possible. Looking at the clock, I noticed that there was less than three hours left in my shift. I was still pretty jacked up from before, and Edward took notice of my extra energy. He seemed a little high-strung, as well. In my mind, I kept hearing Jake's voice telling me to live a little. As if he heard my thoughts, Edward looked at me and arched an eyebrow. I felt my heart stutter a bit, and then decided to follow Jake's advice. Live a little. I shot Edward what I hoped was sultry smile and walked toward the supply room at the end of the hall, opposite the call room. My co-workers were busy with other tasks, which gave me the courage I needed for the leap I was about to take.

As I opened the supply room door, I looked over my shoulder and saw a look of pure lust in Edward's eyes. YES! I let the door shut behind me and tried to figure out in my mind what I wanted to tell him. He needed to know that I wasn't a total tramp who jumps into bed at the drop of a hat. I mean, it had been years since I had sex, for God's sake. Edward, however, held some kind of spell over me. It was impossible for me to stay away.

The door quietly opened, and I turned around to see Edward standing in front of me. I walked toward him and backed him up against the door through which he had just entered. He was smiling a mischievous little grin as I put my hands on the door just beside his abs. I took a big breath and looked into his eyes.

"I just want you to know that I'm not usually this forward, but I also realize how incredibly lame that sounds. I enjoyed last night, Edward. I don't think I have ever felt such a connection to another person like I feel with you. I also don't think I'm going too far out on a limb by saying that I think you feel something similar. I'm hoping that you'll come over this evening. I can make dinner for us and we can enjoy each other's company, however that may turn out," I said to him, blush blazing but without the tremor I had expected in my voice. My heart was racing and I had the biggest urge to kiss his lips, his neck, and anywhere else I could imagine.

As I stood there, holding him prisoner with my body against the door, Edward bent his head down toward my face, green eyes smoldering, and without a word, pressed his lips to mine. They were soft and hesitant at first, but then he wrapped an arm around my waist while bringing his other hand to my face, his thumb on my cheek as his fingers caressed the area behind my ear. His hand continued slowly down my neck and collarbone, leaving a goose bump trail behind it. The feeling was incredible, and I couldn't help the quiet moan that escaped my throat. I threw caution to the wind and opened my mouth to lick his bottom lip. I just had to taste him. In no time, his tongue was tentatively mingling with mine, a gentle give and take as we explored each other's mouth. He moved his focus from my mouth to my jaw, kissing and licking to my earlobe. I felt his breath; both hot on my ear and cool over the areas he had just been sucking. The feeling was such a turn-on that I grabbed his ass and forced his leg between my own, creating some delicious friction on my core. I felt him groan into my neck as he began to rub his thigh slowly between my legs.

Remembering where we were, I reluctantly pulled myself from Edward's heavenly body. He smiled at me, breathing hard, gave me one more slightly opened mouth kiss, and pressed his forehead to mine. "7 o'clock can't get here fast enough," he said with a smirk.

"I'm going to go across the hall and try to make it look like I haven't been making out in the supply room. I'll leave you here to try to calm yourself, cowboy," I said, trailing my hand down his chest. My boldness surprised me, but I figured nothing ventured, nothing gained. Edward moved aside so that I could exit, mumbling something about "damn scrubs" and "raging hard-on." In the call room bathroom, I splashed some cool water on my face and took some deep breaths. I was flushed a bit still, so I took a minute to sit on the bed and collect my thoughts. Giggling to myself, I tried to remember the last time I had felt so alive. The events of the day and the accompanying adrenaline rush were surely to thank for my bold actions. Indeed, 7 o'clock seemed an eternity away.

Returning to the nurses' station, I found that a patient requiring stitches had come in. As Edward began taking care of that, Carlisle returned from his monster meeting. He seemed frazzled.

"Did the meeting from hell finally end, Carlisle?" Glenda asked. She knew how much he abhorred all of the administrative duties that went along with his job.

"Can you tell how much fun I had? It was the usual budgetary arguments, along with everyone demanding a larger piece of the pie. Sometimes, I like to just sit back and watch the train wreck, you know? We are doing OK down here, so if I can just keep the status quo this round, then maybe I can call in a favor next time."

"As long as they're not taking from us, we'll be fine," Glenda said, mirroring Carlisle's sentiments. She was a charge nurse who knew the value of calling in favors down the road.

I was about to speak to Glenda about the schedule change when two families came onto the unit. Each father was carrying a little boy, and both were crying.

"How can we help you this evening? What did you two super heroes get yourself into?" I asked with a smile. Smiling was the key with kids, I had found.

"It seems that these two forgot that they couldn't fly," replied one of the fathers. "The boys were jumping off of a rock together, holding hands, and both landed on their feet funny. Scotty here hurt his left ankle, and Dex seems to have a problem with his right leg."

Both boys, despite their tears, had a small smile creeping across their face. They looked to be about six or seven. Too bad they would both be starting their summer vacations on crutches.

Carlisle directed them to the triage area where we had two beds separated by a curtain. He pulled the curtain back so that the boys could see each other.

"Who wants to tell me what happened? How big was this rock you jumped from?" Carlisle asked the daredevils.

Dex began talking a mile a minute. "Well, the rock we climbed on was huge! We were so high up, and I told Scotty that I would jump if he would and he said that he would and so we just grabbed each other's hand and jumped and then my leg hurt when I landed, and his ankle cracked and we both screamed and then our dads found us and brought us here so that you could patch us up."

"Oh, my!" I said, proud that I was able to follow the story fairly well. "Let's get these shoes and socks off, because we're going to have to take some x-rays of your legs!"

"Cool! I've never had an x-ray before! Will I be able to see my bones and everything?" Scotty asked, turning to his dad with an excited look on his face.

"Gosh, I hope so. Either that, or the doctor needs to get a new machine, son," Scotty's dad said, ruffling his hair.

I introduced myself and Carlisle and began to get all of the information I needed for the paperwork while Glenda worked on getting the orders from Carlisle. The three of us worked like a well-oiled machine, getting the films of each boy's injury, preparing the families for the cast care that they'd have to be performing for the next six weeks or so. Dex had a hairline fracture of his tibia, as it turned out. Scotty broke one of the larger bones in his ankle and fortunately didn't require anything but a cast. Both boys chose a camouflage cast material. Edward had finished up with his patient in time to cast Scotty's ankle while Carlisle worked on Dex. It was touching watching father and son working side by side, each with their own style, each winning over their patient. By the time the boys were trying out their crutches, it was almost 6:30. Edward took notice of me glancing at my watch, and I couldn't help the blush.

Fifteen minutes later, the night nurses came in. Sherry, Erin and Rob were filled in on our eventful day and caught up to speed on the boys in Triage. They were just waiting on the release order from the docs.

"Bella, hand me your phone and I will program my number into it. I was looking for yours in the book by the schedule and realized that it wasn't there. We should get together next week," Angela said, punching numbers in after I handed over my phone.

Edward approached the desk where we all had gathered. I could only briefly look at him. Inside I was bouncing, and I could not wait to run my fingers through his hair. He just smiled as if he was thinking the same thing.

"Edward," I began, looking at him and unconsciously biting my lower lip, "Would you be able to give me Alice's number as well? I need to get in touch with her about Friday night." I passed my phone to him, clearly using my request as an excuse to stand next to him, _innocently _disrespecting his personal space. "Do you know if she carries lingerie at her boutique? I seem to have lost some of mine in the move."

Angela laughed. "Alice has a whole room upstairs dedicated to things lacy and frilly. It is a delight to just sit there and inhale, Bella. It is such a service she provides for the women of Forks!" she continued in a somewhat mocking tone. Edward, however, squirmed.

"And with that, ladies, I bid you farewell. Angela, I'll see you in the morning. Can I walk you out, Bella? I'll be done in a few minutes while I check out to James. It should go quick, since the boys are ready to go."

"Um, sure. I'll just wait here, I guess," I said.

Once Edward was in the other room with James, Angela and Glenda pulled me aside. "OK, girl, spill," Glenda demanded. At first I wasn't sure what she was talking about. Then she smiled at me and let out a huge laugh.

"Edward has been watching you all day, Bella. Don't tell me you haven't noticed. I have known him all of his life. That boy's got a thing for you!" Glenda revealed in her subtle way.

"He's a great guy," I began.

"Great guy my ass. He's smokin' hot, and he's watching you all day like a hawk. Is there something you need to confess?" she asked, leveling her mirth-filled gaze at me.

"Um, no? I mean, last night he let me borrow his washer and dryer since mine haven't been delivered yet. He lives just around the corner from me. He was being neighborly. We just sat and chatted while my clothes washed and dried."

"Girl, that man doesn't want to be your neighbor like Mr. Rogers. And you know what? I say go for it. There are some times when I look at him and just wish he would find someone. He's a fine man, Bella, if not a little shy when it comes to girls. Have fun. I told him the same thing. Now before you go blushing and stuttering and carrying on, don't. You both know I'm right. I can tell you're a good person, Bella. You couldn't hurt a fly. The only thing you should be worried about is how to work things six months from now. Here he comes. Edward, take this girl on a date, would you? You kids have fun now," Glenda said as she went to the locker room.

Angela, Sherry, Erin, and Rob stood there, laughing at Edward and me. I was beyond mortified. Who cares if it was true that I wanted to jump his bones? Just the thought of Glenda calling us out like that was about the most embarrassing thing that had ever happened to me. Edward was taking it much better than I was. He smiled, said "Good night, everyone. Bella, shall we?" and offered me his arm. Blushing scarlet, I timidly placed my hand on him and we walked out.

After we made it to our vehicles, I began to giggle. "I can't decide if I want to laugh or cry, Edward! Remind me to never cross Glenda."

"You can trust Glenda to always say what she's thinking. It's part of her charm!"

"I'm just a little worried about gossip. I mean, I'm here less than a week and she has us paired off like animals on the ark."

"Nobody worth listening to will say anything. It's a small town, and there aren't a lot of people of our age. We would have met eventually, and I'm fairly certain I would have felt the same way," Edward said with a soft smile on his lips.

"Would you like some dinner? I make a mean steak salad," I offered.

"You're on. I'll follow you."

I jumped in Rufus and drove quickly home. I kept replaying our kiss in the supply room (gosh, how cliché!) and began to get all worked up. I wasn't sure if I was going to make it through dinner without more groping.

**EPOV**

Forks is a small town. I can usually make it from my house to work in about five minutes obeying all traffic laws. It was taking forever to get to Bella's. When she looked at me earlier today, over her shoulder, all sexy-like, I about came in my pants. And then that, coupled with the rush from the events with the delivery of the baby, it was barely possible for me to pull myself away from her beautiful mouth as we stood there in that supply room. All I wanted to do was let my hands and mouth roam all over her body. I was fighting a losing battle with my cock all day as I thought about the lacy bra and panties in my drawer at home. Then to have Bella right in front of me, hips swaying, delicious smelling, eliciting groans from me as her hands grabbed me and forced my leg to rub on her damp, lace and cotton scrubs covered girly parts- gah! I jumped from my car when we arrived at her place. Bounding up the steps behind Bella, I heard her breath hitch as she fumbled with the keys to the door.

Once inside the foyer, Bella dropped her bag and closed the door behind me. Her dark eyes held no secrets as we moved toward each other. I kissed her with all of the lust and want that had been building all day. Her mouth was sweet and delicious. The feeling of her tongue on mine was beyond words. I ran my hands from her tiny waist to the small of her back while her fingers greedily wove themselves in my hair. We broke away, grinning like fools, panting as if we had just run all the way from home.

"Um, I'll be right back down. Help yourself to whatever drinks I have in the fridge, OK?" Bella said, disappearing upstairs.

I found my way to her kitchen and began looking through her cupboards looking for something to hold our drinks. I found some regular glasses and then saw the wine glasses. Would it be too presumptuous on my part to suggest wine? My question was answered as I heard Bella enter the room.

"I have soda, milk, juice, and half a bottle of chardonnay begging to be finished off. What's your poison? I don't know if the wine will exactly go with the steak salad, but since I'm not a five-star restaurant, I'm hoping you won't mind," Bella said with a smile, twirling her braided hair. She was wearing a cute pair of jean shorts and a pink cami tank top that made her look irresistible.

"I think a glass of wine would be perfect," I said, pulling down two of the appropriate glasses from the cabinet. She had come to stand next to me, holding the bottle of wine in one hand and some cheese in the other.

"My grandmother always told me to buy wine and cheese together. I remember that she would say that wine could lead to certain activities where you would need a little nourishment afterwards. Yeah, she is a pistol. I didn't have a clue what she meant until I was about sixteen," Bella said with a trace of her trademark blush that I had begun to crave like any other thing necessary for sustaining life.

"Does she live in Phoenix, as well?" I asked, holding the glasses as she poured.

"Yes. She's Charlie's mom. Her name is Marie, which is my middle name."

"Mine's Anthony. I think it was just a name that my parents liked. Edward was after my grandfather, though. Alice is actually Mary Alice," I began to babble. I could feel myself begin to get nervous. Why was I all bold when there were people around us, like at work, but in the privacy of her kitchen, found myself afraid to get close?

"I'd like to hear all about those details of your life, Edward, I really would. Right now, at the risk of sounding too forward, though, I'm going to take these wine glasses from your hands and kiss you before I lose my courage," Bella said. After placing the glasses on the granite, she looked up at me. She seemed to be a little flustered, but gently slid her hands over my shoulders to the back of my neck.

"Why do you need courage?" I whispered as I traced her bottom lip with my finger, eliciting a smile from her. "I'm the one with virtually no experience when it comes to the opposite sex, Bella. I mean, I'm not a virgin or anything, but let's just say that I have been busy with other aspects of my life," I admitted with a bit of a blush and an eye roll.

Bella sighed. "I need courage because my last boyfriend, who, by the way, was only my second boyfriend in my illustrious history, really broke my heart in a fairly public way. That was about three years ago, and now I feel like that I can finally take a chance and enjoy myself here. With you. I feel like I can trust you. It's scary and exciting and so not a part of my silly plan, and I don't care. I like the way I feel when you are close. I love the sparks I feel when you touch me. I can't even put into words what it feels like when you smile at me. I feel drawn to you, and I'm fairly certain you feel it, too." She took a step toward me, backing me into the corner of the counter.

"I do, Bella," I said simply, and bent down to kiss her mouth. "I want to spend hours just kissing you, and after spending all day being around you, I'm not sure that hours will be enough." Bella gave a tiny smile and I kissed her again with increasing desire. I felt her tongue on my lips and my own tongue reacted, automatically meeting hers. There was no battle for dominance. While we licked and sucked and kissed, her hands went from the back of my neck to my collarbone, coming to rest on my abs. My hands made a circuit from just above the waistband of her shorts, up to the bare part of her back where her cami tank top ceased to cover her soft skin, and then back down. When I felt her hands brush my scrub shirt aside and her nails graze lightly on either side of my abdomen, I let out a low groan.

She pulled away from me slowly, breaking the kiss and taking my hand. "Come with me," she breathed in a quiet voice, as she led me to the sofa in the TV room. I felt my eyes go wide as she pushed me down onto the chocolate-colored microfiber and straddled my lap. Suddenly, her breasts were at eye level, and as far as I was concerned, all was right with the world.

"You know it doesn't matter to me about your past, right? I mean, I'm glad that you're not a total manwhore, but the fact that both of us have been so choosy is a good thing," Bella said, looking at me, cradling my face with her tiny hands.

"Choosy. I like that," I mused as my hands traveled from her soft legs and thighs up to her hips. Her eyes were locked on mine as she oh-so-lightly increased the pressure of her pelvis against mine. It was heaven. Bella then put her mouth on mine. It was a hungry kiss that had been building all day as we flirted back and forth within the confines of decency at work. As we explored each other's mouth, I kept a firm hold on her hips as she rocked back and forth on my ever-present hard on.

We parted for air, and my mouth trailed down her jaw and neck to her collarbone. Throwing her head back, she elongated the line leading from the sensitive spot behind her ear to her slightly heaving chest. Bella let out a quiet groan as I nipped my way down to the valley between her breasts, the presence of her top being the only thing between them and my eager tongue.

I slipped a finger under the strap of her cami and searched her eyes for permission to continue. I got my answer as she pushed down the other strap with a cute smile. She slid her arm from each of the straps and sat there in front of me, still smiling and raised my hands to her chest. Bella ground her core into my erection as I rolled her nipples through the stretchy cotton of her tank top. I was almost overwhelmed by all of the sensations being let loose. My cock ached for release. My hands wanted nothing more than to feed her tits to my eager mouth. I could feel my heart racing and knew that my breathing was in no way hiding my desires.

"Beautiful," I whispered as I looked from her chest to her dark eyes. She blushed and slipped her top down more, exposing herself to me in the waning light of day. Leaning in, I drew my tongue lightly across one peak as my fingers tended to the other. I wasn't sure if what I was doing felt the slightest bit pleasurable for Bella, until I felt her warm center press upon me again, followed by a moan as I lightly bit her nipple.

Bella's hands were in my hair, her nails raking over my scalp, and it felt so damn good. It didn't matter where our bodies came into contact with each other; the tingling left in the wake was unlike anything I had ever felt before. I needed to feel more of her on me, so I pulled myself away from her long enough to strip my scrub shirt from my body. Then I wrapped my arms around her torso and rolled us so that she was lying on the sofa. I settled my center into her pelvis and lowered myself onto her, relishing the feel of her smooth skin on my chest. She cupped my face in her hands and lifted her mouth to mine. Bella slipped my bottom lip into her mouth and caressed it with her tongue. When she grazed it with her teeth, I couldn't suppress the groan that came from deep within me. I rested my weight on my forearms and began to grind my clothed cock across her center. Her hips rose to meet me, and she released my mouth to throw her head back, a loud "ohhhh" falling from her red lips.

My mouth, hot with want, found its way back to her neck, her jaw, her earlobe. I felt Bella's hands through the thin material of the hospital-issued pants grabbing my ass as I continued to grind on her core. I was able to feel her hardened nipples against my chest as I slid myself over her. As her eyes caught mine, I felt a smile spread over my face. She was positively beautiful. Her hair was in a satiny pool round her head, her skin flushed, lips passionately swollen. I was smitten, for sure.

As I leaned back down to capture her mouth again, she arched her center toward me, the friction on my cock delightful and torturous at the same time. I shifted my weight to my left arm and trailed my free hand to her denim-clad pussy. I could feel the heat and the dampness of her body. As I placed my hand on the button of her shorts, I looked at her face. Bella arched an eyebrow at me and winked. My heartbeat roared in my ears as I grinned and undid the four buttons of her fly. I felt the waistband of her lace panties and noticed my impossibly hard cock stiffen even more. I looked once more at Bella's face as I slid my fingers under the fabric. Her mouth was open and she had one of her nipples between her thumb and forefinger, pulling and pinching. It was one of the hottest things I had ever seen. And then the fucking doorbell rang.

Bella's eyes went wide as she pulled her top back on properly and buttoned her shorts. I reached for my shirt and pulled it over my head. Giggling, she grazed my crotch and said "Busted! Try and hide that, cowboy!"

I blushed, but then reached out to adjust one of the straps to her top. "You are the one busted, my dear, quite literally," I said, brushing my thumb across one of her still hardened nipples.

"Oh my God! Where's my hoodie?!" she exclaimed. Finding it over the back of a nearby chair, she threw it on and called "I'll be right there!" to the person waiting at her front door.

"Here, do something with the Wii, will ya?" she said, tossing me the steering wheel for Mario Kart. "Gosh, what's wrong with me? It's not like I'm sixteen and my parents just came home. Breathe, Bella. This is your own house…" she began, talking to herself to calm down.

"I wonder who it is at 9:30 at night," I said while she adjusted herself.

"I dunno. How does my hair look?" Bella asked, slicking it back into a ponytail.

I laughed. "You look fine. Guilty, but fine. If you don't mind, I, uh, am going to sit here for a second."

Bella padded off to the door, laughing. Five seconds later, I heard the distinct sound of my twin sister's voice. Damn! Cockblocked by a pixie!! I would never live this down. I situated a pillow strategically over my groin and proceeded to make like I was on the Rainbow Road.

**Can I just tell you all how much your reviews mean to me? It is so effing amazing to me as I check the stats for the story to see how many people are reading, faving, and putting me on their alerts. And many of you are so far away from my little town here in the Midwest! I mean Pakistan? Malta? Argentina? Estonia? Too cool for words!! I love having you as pen pals, even though I haven't really heard from you. Let's change that, shall we? Leave me a note!**

**One more thing…I submitted a oneshot for the Love Through Lemons contest. You can find the link on my profile, as well as a link to the thread for this little story. And be sure to make your way over to LolaShoes' profile to check out the other entries, as well. My pals TwilightSherry, IrishGirlTaken, and gkkstitch, along with about 60 others did a smutastic job writing oneshots about love without even using the word. You won't be sorry! **

**Thanks again for sticking with me! **


	6. Chapter 6

BPOV

As I stumbled to the door, I glanced in the mirror, noting that I had that freshly fucked look to my face, even though I hadn't been. And now we'll never know if I would have been. Good lord, Edward knew how to get a girl hot and bothered! I peeked through the front door and saw a flash of spiky black hair.

"Alice! Hi!" I said as I opened the door. If she was able to discern that, sixty seconds ago, I had her brother's hand on my girly parts, she wasn't letting on. And that really is a good thing, because I can't lie for shit.

"Hi, Bella! I was on my way to Edward's and saw his car here. I haven't seen him in forever, and I just wanted to touch base with him," Alice said as I opened the old screen door for her to come in. "How's the house? Are you getting settled?"

"Yes, things are great. Edward is back in the family room playing the Wii. Can I get you anything? Something to drink?" It was at that moment that she and I both saw the abandoned wine classes and the half empty bottle of wine on the counter. Shit! With all of the fooling around, Edward and I never got around to eating.

"No, I'm fine! Jazz and I just had a late dinner with some clients of his," she commented as we rounded the corner into the room where Edward was looking much disheveled, not to mention totally hot.

"Hey, sis. What brings you by?" Edward said, sounding every bit as awkward as I felt.

"Well, I see that you guys finally met at work, then! I was singing your praises the other night when we were helping Bella get her things from her truck," Alice said, looking with a scrutinizing eye at Dr. Rumpled. We were so caught.

"Umm, yeah. Bella and I met yesterday at work. We had a kind of crazy day today, so we thought we'd have some dinner and hang out a little while. I'm trying to not suck at Mario Kart," Edward said with a laugh, gesturing to the steering wheel in his hands, and trying not to draw attention to the strategically placed pillow over his wood.

"Oh, that's great! It's cool that you guys hit it off! I knew you would!" Alice sing-songed with bright eyes and a million dollar smile.

Shooting his twin a dirty look, Edward grumbled under his breath, "Alice…"

Trying to deflect, I turned to the petite boutique proprietor. "Are you and Jasper still in for dinner on Friday night? I really hope that you will be able to make it!"

"We wouldn't miss it! Can we bring anything?" Alice asked brightly. I just smiled and shook my head.

"No, think I should be OK, unless you'd like to bring some wine. Edward has already offered to bring some, as well, and I haven't had a chance to do any big shopping for food since I moved in. I was hoping to do that tomorrow after Emmett brings the new washer and dryer by for me."

Alice's eyes went to her brother and she gave him a smirk. "You'll be joining us too, Dr. Cullen?" she asked with a bit too much curiosity in her voice.

"Bella offered to save me the embarrassment of spending my Friday evening alone," Edward said, his green eyes briefly giving me a glance as he mockingly grimaced at the thought of such a social faux pas.

Inwardly, I laughed at the little dance Alice was performing. You could see the adoration she had for her brother plain as day. She just wanted him to be happy, and wasn't ashamed of the fact that she was trying to get him on his way to a happily ever after.

"Well, dear brother, I come with a message from our mother. She is hoping for your presence at brunch on Sunday. We'll all be there. Bella, you should come, too! Mom would love to meet you, I'm sure. Dad even has the morning off since he's taking the night shift for James."

"Jeebus, Alice, you know more about the staffing situation there than Glenda, I think," I said with a laugh. "I switched with Angela, so I guess I'll be hanging out with Dr. Cullen the Elder. Hopefully I won't be too tired. I'd love to stop by."

I caught a look that passed between the siblings, Edward a roll of the eyes and a slight huff of breath, while Alice just beamed at him.

"Bella, please don't feel like you have to. My sister and her, uh, enthusiasm sometimes gets the better of her."

"Nonsense, Edward. It's not all about you! I was just hoping that Bella could join us so that we can get to know each other a little better. And Mom is dying to meet Emmett's new tenant," Alice defended, then turned to me and said, "I'm quite sure she wants to hear about what you think of the efforts she put into your house. She keeps detailed records with before and after photos, as well as any historical information she can dig up. The woman is obsessive about it, really. Please say you'll be there!"

In the end, I relented, and Alice left Edward and me on the front porch swing as she pulled away into the night toward her home not far away. Who was I kidding? This was Forks, and nothing was that far away.

The evening was warm, despite the later hour. As we sat on the swing, gently rocking to and fro, I looked at my guest. His hair was deliciously out of control, and he sat back in the swing with his arm resting lightly across the back. From time to time to time, he would brush his thumb against my shoulder. Our silence was comfortable, each of us retreating into our own thoughts for a few minutes. I leaned my head back against Edward's shoulder and heard his stomach growl. It was impossible not to giggle like a mad woman.

"You know, we never did get around to eating," I said with a blush, "but I think it's a little late to make a big meal. Can I offer you some delicious cereal and orange juice? Perhaps some toast and jam?" I reached for Edward's hand, and felt content from the simple contact.

"I am a little hungry. Let's go," Edward said with a smile, standing and pulling me up with him. He paused to wrap me in a quick hug and kissed my temple. I was both amazed and startled at how familiar and _right _it felt. We walked through the screen door and it shut behind us with a quiet thud.

Edward and I feasted on Fruity Pebbles, orange juice, and some fruit salad that we threw together. We learned more about each other's lives, sharing war stories from the ER, and after we finished eating, we sat in the TV room, me relaxing comfortably against him. He was sitting on the couch with his back against the armrest, and his left leg stretched along the length of the cushions. I settled between his legs, resting my back on his broad chest. His fingers played absent-mindedly with a few strands of my hair. The urgency and flat-out horniness had dissipated, and we were simply enjoying each other's company. It was hard to remember the last time I had felt this content and peaceful.

"So, with your siblings soon to be married, how is it that you are not altar-bound yourself, Cullen? What kind of skeletons are rattling around in your closet?" I asked, half of me not wanting to know the answer. Edward was, for lack of a better word, a dream. He was handsome, smart, funny, and had a promising career. I was wondering why he was available.

"It's no secret. Just haven't found the right girl, I guess. I had a girlfriend in med school, for about eight months or so. We just figured that we would be better off as friends. It was stressful enough getting through classes, and then residency. A few dates here and there, but nothing of significance," Edward said, looking off in the distance a bit. Then he looked at me and gave a killer half smile. "I guess the random hook-up thing doesn't appeal to me."

Wait-what does that mean??

**EPOV**

The look on Bella's face was one of confusion and…relief? I felt a bit awkward talking about my history, but I also knew that if I wanted to have a relationship with Bella, sharing about our pasts was a part of the deal. I just wasn't sure how she would react to the fact that I was pitifully inexperienced when it came to romance and sex. And after the fan-fucking-tastic make out session we just had, I knew that eventually I wanted more. Hell, if Alice hadn't knocked on the door, I'm pretty sure things would have progressed farther than what I, in retrospect, felt comfortable with. Call me old fashioned, but I liked the idea of wooing a lady. Building the layers of trust and understanding and getting to know Bella was as important to me as getting into her silk panties. I loved her sense of humor, was intrigued by her selection on her iPod and found it fascinating that we shared some of the same passions for our careers. There was a sadness and a hesitancy that tainted her smile sometimes. What caused it? Increasingly, over the past couple of days, I wanted to remove that sadness. I wanted to erase it from her forever.

"You look confused, Bella," I said to her with a smile.

"Do I?" she stammered a bit.

"Were you hoping that I was a random kind of guy?" I teased.

"Umm, no. It's just been a while since I have been honest with my feelings, that's all. It's all been a whirlwind for me, these past few days. I'm having such a great time with you, Edward. More fun than I really have allowed myself to have in years. And for the record, I'm not a random type of girl, either. I have had two partners in my life, the last of which was over two years ago."

I smiled and kissed her temple. "I'm glad to hear that, Bella. Wait, shit. I mean - "

Bella giggled and squeezed my hand. "I know what you meant, Edward. You're glad I'm not parading my lady parts all over the place, just like I'm glad you're not a total man whore."

It was my turn to laugh. "No, I don't think that one girlfriend and having sex twice constitutes whorishness! Tanya and I were friends going through med school. In our third year, we thought that there might be something there. We dated for a while. After we had sex a few times, we both just felt awkward. It was like getting busy with your cousin, I guess. Anyway, we're still friends. She's up in Alaska, practicing as a GP and loving it. She still makes house calls and everything. She's really made me proud."

"Jake was my first. He's going to propose to his girlfriend next weekend. My other boyfriend was Mike. He left me feeling so vulnerable, which is part of the reason I have kept traveling. If you don't get close, you can't get hurt, you know?"

I wasn't sure what I should say. I wanted to tell her that I wouldn't hurt her, that she had already secured a place in my heart. There was something about her that had overlapped our souls, and that from now on, I didn't think it was possible for me to go without her. But, to feel like that after only a few days was absurd, wasn't it? I sighed, and tried to give her an answer that wouldn't weird her out too much.

"I can see how you might feel the need to keep going, Bella. Work is easy. Medicine is like a recipe, isn't it? If you want a certain outcome, you perform a certain action. Cast a broken leg. Suture a cut. Take out an appendix. But love is tricky. There is no set formula. It involves trust and a lot of blindness at times. I'm sorry that Mike hurt you. I hope you can see that I'm not like him. And I'm also not just trying to scratch an itch here," I said, resting my hand on her cheek, turning her so that I could see her beautiful brown eyes. "Honestly, kissing you before was better than I could have imagined. If it would make you feel more comfortable, we can slow things down. Maybe I can take you on a proper date? Show you around Forks in style?"

Bella smiled. "I'd love to go on a proper date with you, Dr. Cullen. And for the record? I don't think I would have regretted anything that happened had Alice not knocked on the door, but slowing down is fine." She smiled and punctuated her statement with a sweet kiss and leaned back against me.

We spent the next few hours (yes, hours) talking about everything. We talked about Janie and Anneleise, and what the immediate future held for them. Janie was refusing to let her parents get involved, since they threw her out in the first place. The social worker, Jessica, was doing her best to find a foster home for them if returning Janie home wasn't an option. Health-wise, mother and baby were doing quite well. Jessica said that even though Janie is young, her instincts as a mother are spot on. There is no doubt in her mind that Janie will be a good mom. The rest of the details are the concern.

Our conversation turned to our families and our childhoods. I learned about Jake and couldn't help but feel a little jealous. Bella was quick to put any fears I had to rest, though. It was clear that the love they shared was one of deep friendship, nothing more. We shared so many stories, with one flowing into the next. It truly was effortless. It was only when Bella stifled a yawn that I noticed that it was nearly 1AM, and I had to be at work in six hours.

"Oh, Edward! It is so late! I'm sorry to keep you here, rambling on about everything!" Bella exclaimed, turning to face me and placing her hands on my shoulders. "I'll let you get going so that you can get some sleep, OK?"

"I wouldn't have stayed if I didn't like the company, Bella." I rested my hands on her tiny waist and placed my forehead on hers. "I have had the most amazing time with you tonight, both before and after Alice showed up," I said with a crooked smile. Bella laughed and blushed.

"I am fairly certain she's on to us. Something tells me she is a bit like a dog with a bone, and she won't give up until she has seen us go on at least three successful dates."

"Probably more like five, if I know Alice."

"Well, I would hate to disappoint, then. At least I know I'll get five dates with you, ," Bella said in a voice that made me think of all the ways I could doctor her. I felt a stirring in my scrub pants and decided that was my cue to leave, or I never would.

"I'm hoping for many more than five, Bella," I said softly and kissed her softly at first. She lightly raked her nails up my neck to the back of my head, gently bringing our mouths together. I felt her tongue draw across my bottom lip and couldn't suppress the moan that escaped my chest as I tasted her mouth again. It felt like I needed supernatural strength to pull away from her, but I did it, reluctantly.

Bella let out a sigh and stood up, holding her hands out to me as if to pull me off the couch. "Let's get you home, Edward. Maybe we can hang out tomorrow night after work. I mean, that is if you don't have any plans," she added shyly.

I laughed at her sudden shyness. "I'd love to hang out tomorrow night." We were walking through the kitchen, where I picked up my keys and my phone. I gave the phone to Bella and said, "Here, put you number in and I'll call you tomorrow when it gets close to the end of my shift."

After Bella programmed her number, we walked out onto the porch. The air had cooled a little, and clouds had come in, obscuring the stars. She seemed a bit nervous, so I reached out and pulled her into a hug, tucking head perfectly under my chin as if she had always belonged there

"Edward, I'm not gonna lie. I had the most wonderful day at work today, only to be topped by an amazing evening with you. Thanks," Bella said as she wrapped her arms around my waist.

"I had a great time, too. I will never be able to go into the supply room without having naughty thoughts," I said with a chuckle and pressed a kiss into her hair. "All kidding aside, you did an outstanding job with the delivery today. I'd be happy to work beside you any time, Bella Swan."

"Right back at you, Dr. Cullen," she said with a genuine smile that I swear made my heart flutter and imagine all sorts of forever with her. It is impossible to be falling this fast, isn't it?

"Call you tomorrow?" I asked, regretfully pulling away and descending down the first step, bringing us eye to eye.

"You better!" she said, leaning in, resting her forehead on mine.

"Good night, then, Bella," I said softly. With one hand on her hip and the other gently cupping her cheek, I leaned in and kissed her. It was a sweet kiss, one with promise. I felt her mouth curve into a smile as she pulled away.

"Good night, Edward," she said, squeezing my arm. "Now get home so that you can at least get four hours of sleep before your alarm goes off!"

"Yes, ma'am," I said with a mock salute and continued down the stairs to my car. When I looked back at her after opening my door, she was leaning on the railing of the porch, her hoodie pulled tight. You could tell she was a little chilly. "Get inside and stay warm."

"I will, I will," was her reply as she turned and walked to the door. I waved as she went inside, shut the door and blinked the porch light twice before turning them off.

It took all of a minute for me to arrive at my home and pull into the garage. It was only then I realized what a ridiculously long day I had had. I walked my weary body up the stairs to my bedroom and stripped. After putting on a pair of pajama pants and a t-shirt, I picked up my phone and scrolled to Bella's number. My finger hovered over the button that would connect us as I debated whether or not I should call. I seriously didn't want to suffocate her. My need to hear her voice once more won out, and I pressed the send button.

"Hello, Edward," Bella answered. I think I heard a smile in her voice.

"Hi, Bella. Sorry for calling, but I just wanted to tell you good night again. I really had a wonderful day with you," I said, hoping I didn't sound too pathetic. I wasn't sure why I was channeling my inner ninth grader with my insecurities all of the sudden.

"I had a wonderful day, too. Really. Both at work and afterwards. And you can call me anytime, Edward. I blinked the light for you to let you know I was locked up, safe and sound, in case you were wondering. It's an old habit from when I was young."

"I like knowing you are safe. Lots of unsavory people in the neighborhood, you know."

Bella snickered. "Yeah, that's what I hear."

I heard her yawn. "I'll let you go, beautiful. I just wanted to hear your voice one more time before turning in. I'll call or text you tomorrow, OK?"

"You're sweet, you know that? I'm glad you called. I'll look forward to hearing from you tomorrow."

_She thinks I'm sweet!_

"Sure thing. Sweet dreams, Bella," I said, knowing my own would be filled with her.

"I'm thinking they will be. Good night, Edward," Bella said softly, and she hung up.

I leaned back on my bed and let out a huge sigh. Is there such thing as love at first sight? I felt so out of control, but in a good way. It was amazing and frightening all at once. Not holding her now was creating such an empty feeling. Tomorrow evening couldn't come too soon.

I set my alarm for 6:30, I turned out the light and drifted to sleep, a smile on my face and Bella on the brain.

**BPOV**

Thursday greeted me with grey clouds and mist. Looking at my phone, I noted that it was already half-past seven and Edward was already at work. Edward. Sigh. The man had skills, I don't care how much experience he claimed he was lacking. Part of me was glad that Alice interrupted us last night. Don't get me wrong, my exam by Dr. Cullen was magnificent, but there's something to be said for taking things slow. Looking at my phone again, I noticed that I had a text from Emmett. He was going to be here around 8:30 with the washer and dryer. Groaning, I rolled out of bed and headed to the sanctuary of my bathroom for a shower and some time to reflect.

By 8:10, I was enjoying my first cup of coffee and listening to the birds at my neighbor's bird feeder. After making sure that the laundry area was clear, I settled myself at the island with my laptop and began to catch up on emails. The first one was from Nola, who wanted to know how my first day went. Renee had written to thank me for the pictures and to tell me that she had lunch with Jake, who spilled the beans about his upcoming proposal to Leah. A silly forward from Charlie about rednecks with a note attached saying that I might find some humor in the joke, seeing as though I had spent some time in the south on my adventures. As I hit send on my last reply, I heard heavy footsteps on my porch. The front door was open, and I heard Emmett's deep voice through the screen door.

"Good Morning, Bella! I have a few things here that will make your life a bit easier!" my landlord called out to me. I rounded the corner and saw him waiting patiently at the door.

"Come on in, Emmett. I was just poking around on the computer. Can I get you some coffee?"

"Coffee would be great. I just need to be sure that we have a clear path to the laundry room, which I see we do. I'll be right back with the washer," he said with a wink. To the casual observer, one might not immediately notice the similarities between Emmett and Edward. The wink, however was some kind of Cullen trademark, I guessed. I had seen Carlisle, Edward, and now Emmett use the simple gesture, and it reminded me of how closely their eyes resembled each other. Despite the fact that both Carlisle and Emmett had blue eyes, and Edward green, the way their eyes crinkled was remarkably similar.

I poured a cup for Emmett and a second for myself. Walking to the front door, I saw Emmett using a dolly to bring the washer in its cardboard box up the stairs. I opened the door for him and he wheeled the bulky appliance toward its final destination.

"Can I help with anything? I'm not sure what I can do, but I can follow directions pretty well," I said with a grin. Emmett laughed.

"I heard that you were the one calling the shots yesterday," he said. For a split second I panicked, thinking back to how I pushed Edward into the couch and began to have my way with him last night.

"I saw Vicki Shaw at the diner this morning," Emmett clarified, "and she said that you delivered a baby before Edward could even make it into the room! How cool is that?"

I laughed out loud, more at my own thoughts than anything else. "Yeah, it was pretty exciting. I'll never look at things the same way again. I've seen people die, but to actually bring another life into this existence was beyond words."

"So, was my brother a decent guy to work with? Say the word and I'll clobber him," Emmett said with his eyebrow raised. He then began to remove the box from around the washer. As I helped him, I peeked inside and saw a blue frontloading machine that was far better than what was in the last apartments I had occupied.

"Oh, Edward was great. He's, uh, really great," I said, feeling like my answer was as transparent as the plastic Emmett was removing from the machine. I was so hoping that the blush I felt creeping across my cheeks wouldn't be too noticeable. Not a chance.

"Well, that's great!" he remarked with a laugh. Quickly I left to get a garbage bag for all of the packing materials.

I returned with the bag and began to gather the bits of plastic and Styrofoam that littered the floor when Emmett began to speak again.

"Edward's always been kind of an intense person, really focused on his goal of becoming a doctor like Dad. Now that he has checked that off of his list, he needs to lighten up and live a little. Don't get me wrong, he's not, like, a total goob or anything. He just needs to get a life now that he's come back home, ya know?"

I laughed internally. Edward certainly was no goob. Far from it. And it was sweet that Emmett felt the need to explain his brother. "I know exactly where Edward is coming from. I love what I do. The traveling is the coolest job. But I have this silly plan. I have things I want to do before I settle down and make a permanent residence somewhere. Maybe he's just the same way?"

"Yeah, I can see that. What made you decide to travel? If you don't mind me asking," Emmett asked as he slid the washer over to where the water supply came out of the wall.

"Oh, it wasn't any one thing. I was working in the ICU in Phoenix about a year and a half after I graduated from college, and a friend who worked for a travel nursing agency said that her company was looking for nurses. I was young, no boyfriend to keep me there, and thought it would be fun to road trip for a while. My company finds a place for me to work and to live, I get good benefits, and none of the hospital politics affect me. It has served me well. But after my next assignment in San Francisco, I plan to take a break and go back to school. Haven't thought much past that," I said. Mostly because part of me wasn't even sure that after the past week I would even want to leave Forks when my time was up. The town and a few of its inhabitants had bewitched me. The absurdity of that thought, staying here after Thanksgiving, ricocheted through The Plan like a bullet.

Emmett finished with hooking up the water and was working on the drain line. He paused, as if in thought, and then spoke. "So you are moving every three to six months. That's hard for me to imagine. Even when I was in college, it seemed like I was home at least every two weeks or so. But Rosie has always said I'm a momma's boy!" Boyish dimples shined down at me.

As if his smile was to disarm, there was no way to take offense at what he had said. "I have always been kind of independent. It kills my mom that I'm that way. She would like nothing more to be called Grandma sometime in the next three years. My being away has been a little hard for her, but my dad is great about it. He tells my mom that I'm spreading my wings and all. Just as long as I know my way back home, he says."

Finishing all of the connections, Emmett plugged in the machine and set it to wash. "Do you have some towels or something that we can run through to make sure it works?" he asked.

"Sure. I'll be right back with some," I responded, and jogged up the stairs to my bathroom. After grabbing a few towels, I stopped at the foot of my bed where my hoodie that I wore last night was laying. On impulse, I picked it up and held it to my face, inhaling deep. It still held the faintest scent of Edward, which put a silly smile on my face. Spending time in Edward's arms last night had been such a comfort for me. It was as if my heart was allowing me that luxury again I tossed the garment back on the bed and returned downstairs.

Emmett had brought the dryer into the laundry area while I retrieved the towels, and he had begun to hook up the vent. In no time, the dryer was ready to go, and I threw the towels in the washer for the inaugural load.

"Mind if I wait until the thing cycles through? In case there's a leak or something?" Emmett asked, sitting at the island, taking a sip of his now lukewarm coffee.

"No problem," I said, taking his cup as he sat it down and refreshing it for him. "I kind of got today off as a surprise, so I was just trying to decide what I needed to do."

Emmett took another sip of the now warmer coffee and looked earnestly at the mug he held. "This is handmade, isn't it? I can see the throw marks. Where did you find these? They're really great."

"I guess being an architect you would have an eye for detail! Actually, I made them. I have a secret life as a potter," I said with a smile. "I began taking classes in college as a form of therapy to keep from stressing out too bad, and I have kept it up over the years. I made these mugs when I was in Washington, DC. There was a potter there who took me under his wing for a few months and taught me how to make different clay bodies and glazes. It was a blast! Some of the things I came up with were win," motioning to our cups, "and some, not so much. Jim, the potter, passed on some of his favorite recipes for clay bodies and glazes, and I, in turn, helped him when he was diagnosed with diabetes a few weeks after I met him. It was hardly an even trade. He taught me so much." Smiling, I went to my cabinet and pulled down a few of my favorite pieces. One was a large serving bowl made from a light-colored clay, decorated with concentric circles of blue, orange, and brown. I placed a set of three platters on the island next to the bowl, and I remembered fondly Jim's smile as he took them from the kiln.

"Wow, Bella, these are fantastic! I'll have to get the name of an artist that my mom knows and works with from time to time. She lives about halfway between here and Port Angeles, and she has a huge studio hidden away in the trees. I'm sure that she'd love to have you come by if you'd like to throw some clay on the wheel. Ginger enjoys sharing her space."

"Oh, that would be perfect, Emmett. I haven't made anything in almost a year. I am beginning to miss it!" I said, already thinking about what I might be able to create.

The washer chimed, and the two of us headed over to the machines. Finding no leaks, Emmett placed the towels into the dryer and started it up.

"So, you have a close family then?" I asked. "It seems that's the case, since you work with your mom, and Edward followed in Carlisle's footsteps." My mind had drifted to Edward, and I was interested in hearing anything about him, no matter how mundane.

"I guess you could say that. I'm the oldest, and the twins came along when I was two. We were always getting into trouble, most of it stirred up by Alice! As we got older, our group grew. In junior high, Rosie and her family moved to town. She and I fought like cats and dogs! Edward finally locked us in the basement one day and told us that he wasn't letting us out until we either kissed or killed each other. We have been together ever since," Emmett said with a grin.

"Oh, that's hilarious! What about Jasper? How did he come to be a part of your motley crew?"

"That one is all Alice. She was at the diner one day, and he came through the door. She introduced herself and brought him home right then. It's like she knew where to be when he came into town. He and his parents moved to Forks from Texas when were in eleventh grade. He took over his dad's law practice last year here in town, and his parents retired and moved back near Austin."

I smiled at the thought of little Alice, walking up to Jasper and basically commandeering his life. "I bet he hardly knew what hit him!"

"My sister can be persuasive, let's just leave it at that. By the way, try not to let her bully you too much," he cautioned, dimples blazing.

As if by magic, Emmett and I heard the distinctive sound of Alice's giggle as she invited herself into the house.

"Emmett! I am not a bully! Look at me! How on earth could you tell Bella such a thing! I just know how things are supposed to be. You can't fault me for trying to keep everyone's destinies in check!" Alice chirped as she sidled up to her huge big brother for one of his warm hugs. He tilted his head and was about to kiss her spiky hair, but thought twice, as it would have been like kissing a coiffed cactus.

"You do have a pretty good track record, I do admit, but your methods can be grueling, kiddo," Emmett groaned.

Alice continued to grin and turned her attention to me. I became afraid. Very afraid.

"Alice! It's been like, what? Twelve hours since I've seen you?" I laughed. Emmett raised an eyebrow.

"Why yes, it was about twelve hours ago when I left you in the company of my handsome, single twin brother," the little person said in a tone of voice that raised Emmett's suspicions. Esme raised him well, however, and he mercifully kept his mouth shut. His eyebrow was still raised as he leaned against the doorway, though. I tried my best not to squirm.

I turned to Emmett, the blush creeping into my cheeks. "Edward and I were hanging out last night after work. No big deal. Turns out that that we have a lot in common. We were talking a lot about work, and San Francisco, since he just returned from there and that's my next stop. I'm hoping to start grad school there next fall and…" I rambled. Emmett cut me off with more dimples and a loud laugh.

"You don't have to explain yourself to me, Bella. Really. I learned a long time ago that it is what it is. And with that, I'm outta here. Call me if there are any problems with the machines, okay?" He turned to Alice and patted her shoulder. "Go easy on her, sis."

"Oh, we'll be fine, Em. See you tomorrow night about 6 o'clock, right?" I said, walking him to the door.

"Rosie and I will be here! See you then!" Emmett called as he jumped into his Jeep and pulled away.

"So, Bella," Alice began, interrogation clearly on her mind, "_talking_ about work? Is that what the kids are calling it nowadays?"

I choked on my coffee. Jeebus, subtle much?

"What? Last night, you and Edward seemed pretty comfortable with each other. And his sex hair had earned the moniker. It was out of control. Did he stay much after I left?"

It was as if I was frozen with my thoughts going a million miles an hour. Alice, the most persuasive pixie with her wide blue eyes and enchanting demeanor, was looking at me and I was powerless. I could tell that she knew _something _was up between her brother and me. And while I came to the realization that my skills of deception were seriously fail, I would not divulge all of my secrets. A girl's gotta hold something sacred, and the thrill of feeling Edward's middle rubbing on my middle was for me alone. For right now, at least.

"Well, Alice, you see, it's like this," I began. And then she began bouncing on her Prada-clad toes.

"I knew it!! I knew as soon as I met you that you and Edward would be perfect for each other! Am I right?"

"Edward and I spent some time together after work on Tuesday and yesterday. He's super easy to talk to, you know?" _Big breath. Don't give away too much, Bella._ "He rescued me from the Laundromat on Tuesday night when he let me do some laundry at his place. Last night, we enjoyed each other's company. I will say there was a lot of flirtation involved on both evenings."

"Flirtation. Really? Okay, I won't pry. You'll share when you're ready. That's what friends do, and I am certain that we will be great friends, Bella. I know these things," Alice said, tapping her temple with her finger.

Alice was a trip. I smiled at her and then looked at my watch. It was almost 10 o'clock, and I had errands. "Who's minding the shop?" I asked.

"Oh, Brandy, my lone employee, is opening for me. I don't have to be there until 12:30. Are you busy for lunch? I can call Rose and see if she can meet us, and we can help you figure out where you need to go in order to check off whatever you have on your to-do list."

"That could work. I need to go to the grocery store. And find a good place to find some wine. And I was hoping to stop by your shop to check out the panties," I began. Now, here was the challenge. Do I tell Alice about her panty-thieving brother? I needed desperately to get back at Edward, and had no clue how. Acknowledging that my revenge was more important than my pride at this point, I decided to open up, a little, to Edward's twin sister. This could either be really good, or really bad.

"You see, the other night when I did some wash at Edward's, I accidentally got my unmentionables mixed in with the rest of the things I was washing. Edward thought it would be fun to play keep away with a pair of panties. So I went up to him and tucked the matching bra into his waistband and told him he won that round. I can't _believe_ I'm telling you this, Alice! Anyway, he has the set now, which is why I need to stop by your shop. I need something nice to wear with the dress I got the other day, because said surrendered undergarments matched perfectly, and I'm all about nice, silky things next to my skin," I rambled, the whole time blushing as Alice's smile grew bigger.

"Well, I must say, I was afraid that my little brother didn't have it in him! Wait. Do you want to go all Mission: Impossible on his ass? I have a key to his place. We can go over and recover the goods he stole and leave a pair of granny pants in their place!" I had to hand it to her. She was good.

Without thinking, I said, "Sure. Let's go see where the good doctor has taken to keeping my undergarments hostage, shall we?"

Alice squealed and clapped, then grabbed my hand. "Get your bag, and we'll go to lunch afterward. This will be so much fun!!"

Before I knew it, Alice had me tucked into her yellow Porsche and we were in Edward's driveway half a minute later. As we approached the front door, Alice went all ninja on me, darting up the stairs, hiding behind the column of the front porch, looking left, then right, as if looking for the enemy that could foil her attempt at stealthily acquiring her prize. She produced a key on a little keychain that had a perfect replica of a Louboutin black boot with the signature red sole. I was sure she had the matching size six version in her closet. She unlocked the door and we were in.

The first thing I noticed was the lovely smell that greeted my senses. It was Edward, and wood, and leather. I committed it to memory as I inhaled deeply, almost unconsciously. I was brought from my little olfactory wonderland by my new friend.

"OK, Bella. Enough sniffing my brother's house," she smiled slyly. "You didn't even know you were doing it, did you? Oh, honey, you got it bad, and you have no clue, either. That's fine, because he has no idea how bad he has it, too." Waving her hand in a dismissive fashion, as if telling me to leave the details up to her, she headed to the stairs.

"Now, if you were a mischievous man presented some lingerie from a stunning woman, where would you hide it? Hmm." Alice bounded up the stairs to Edward's room and headed straight for his dresser. Rifling through his boxers, Alice came up empty. Shutting the drawer, she slowly turned around while I sat on the leather couch that occupied the wall opposite his bed.

"God, I hope they're not in here," Alice said with a grimace on her face as she looked into the drawer in Edward's bedside table. She was right. The mental picture that conjured up was really less than appealing. When she came up empty handed, Alice sat next to me on the couch, breathing a sigh of relief. "It's nice to know he's not that perverted!"

"What's going through your mind, Bella? You know that this is all in good fun, right?"

"Oh, I know, Alice. It's just a bit awkward. I am confident in every aspect of my life, except men. I feel a little self conscious sitting here in your brother's bedroom, letting you in on the flirt fest that has become my life over the last few days," I said.

"Pssh, Bella! Nothing to worry about! Now tell Alice all about this flirting," she said with a smile.

I looked at Alice's blue eyes and knew there was genuine friendship there. I couldn't explain it. I felt myself fall a little deeper into Forks. The feeling of kinship and flirting and _belonging_ swirled around me. I took a deep breath, noting again the more concentrated Edward smell, and just spilled.

"Alice, I have no idea where to start. Everything about my life has always been so organized, so planned. Jake and I were a couple, we did all of the couple things, you know? But we discovered that being friends was a better option for us. And we are best friends. But then I began traveling, and he found Leah, and now I'm feeling all of these foreign feelings that I haven't felt before. I mean, I have felt drawn to a few other people, but not in the way I am to Edward, and I am afraid to put my heart out there only to have it broken. I couldn't bear it, Alice. There are times I feel as if I am drifting, trying to find where I fit in, and I just never find it." My outburst surprised me. It was a week's worth of frustration, coupled with a few years worth of questioning my own motives that caused a few stray tears to leak from the corners of my eyes. "And then Edward smiles and winks and steals my panties! UGH!"

A pair of tiny yet bone-crushingly strong arms wrapped around me while I got my shit together. Then Alice spoke in a soft voice.

"First of all, let me say that I am grateful for whatever it was that caused you to drift into Forks. There seems to be a buzz in our lives now. It was something that I had a hard time putting my finger on until I saw you and Edward together last night. The buzz, I think, is you. I know that it is crazy soon to be thinking in terms of relationships and whatnot, but I can see that there's a connection between you and my brother. You like him, and he likes you. Just see where it goes. I don't think you'll be disappointed. I know Edward well enough to say that he's very serious about anything he attempts to do. I have no doubt that the same applies to matters of the heart, as well."

"That's just the thing, Alice. I am always so cautious, but I am so drawn to him. He says such nice things, and then leaves me feeling flustered, in that wonderfully good way. The next thing I know, he's holding my hand and giving me a kiss on the cheek that I still feel the next morning. He makes me want more, if you know what I mean. But not only the romance part. More from myself, more friends, more from life in general. Can I be feeling like that after only a few days? It just seems like a setup for disaster!" I practically cried as I threw my hands in the air in frustration.

"I knew Jasper was my one and only the second I laid eyes on his fine cowboy ass, but that is a rare occurrence. Rose and Emmett took a while longer. But who's to say that what you're feeling, whatever it is, isn't worth investigating? Make the most of the time you have. And always know that you are in charge of where you want to go. You're through drifting, Bella. Whether you stay in Forks for six months or sixty years, I'm fairly certain that your time here will help you decide what you want out of life." Alice's face had a peculiar, far off look to it, and then she snapped out of her own world and gave me a squeeze.

"Now, about these panties. I think there are two more places to check, and then we may have to come up with a plan B, my dear," Alice said with a glint of evil in her eyes.

She walked to the bathroom, and I followed. His shower was much like mine, with the multiple showerheads and the ample bench, although it was smaller by several square feet. I watched as she carefully, with the skill of a trained professional, checked each of the vanity drawers, as well as the linen closet. When she came up empty handed, Alice frowned. "Nothing. Where on Earth can he be hiding them?"

"I have no idea, Alice. I'll have to ask him, I guess. I was hoping to get him to take a run with me tonight after work, since the weather is supposed to clear in the afternoon, and…"

"Wait! Running? Perfect! I have a great idea!" she chirped, and went running for his dresser again, picking through another drawer. She pulled a t-shirt from its spot amongst the rest of Edward's clothes and tossed it to me. It was white, with "Forks Spartans Baseball" written on the front, and across the back, in big, block letters was "CULLEN."

"I happen to know that shirt, for some reason, is one of his favorites. The year he got it was the year that the team won the state championship. And it is a universal thing, when they see a girl wearing an article of clothing belonging to them, all guys go caveman possessive. Between having your panties and bra, as well as seeing you in his shirt, you are going to own him, girl!"

"You don't think he'll get all freaked out? I mean I was in his house without him knowing. In most states, that's B&E, you know? And larceny!"

"Oh, Bella, he'll know I was with you. No larceny intended, unless you count stealing his heart," she sighed.

"Corniest. Thing. Ever. I can't believe you just said that!" I pushed her out the door of Edward's room and into the hall.

"Bella, remember what I said. You're in charge. Until you decide to see yourself as more than drifting, that's what you'll feel like. Now, let's go and grab Rosalie for lunch." Alice led the way down the stairs and we left the house with Edward's shirt.

Alice phoned Rose, letting her know that we'd be at the diner in a few minutes. The Porsche found itself a parking spot halfway between Alice's shop and our intended eatery, and we headed in to find a table for the three of us.

Rose joined us soon after, and we ordered our food and fell into easy conversation. There was a wine and cheese shop on the opposite side of the square that Rose recommended highly. We chatted about the house, the new washer and dryer, and my job, when Alice began smiling.

"What's up, Alice? What in the world could have you grinning that big?" Rose asked, while instinctively, I clutched my napkin and blushed.

"Well, Rose, it seems that Bella here has met my brother," Alice began.

"Uh oh. Bella, what has she done to you? Is it something that can be undone? You do know she means well, right?" Rose said with a note of sympathy in her voice.

"Um, yeah. I'm finding that out. Actually, I worked with Edward yesterday, but we actually met the day before. He, uh, let me borrow his washer and dryer and saved me a trip to the Laundromat. It turns out we have a lot in common. He'll be at dinner tomorrow night, too," I said, trying to keep the excitement from my voice.

"So, you'll be spending four evenings in a row with him, provided that you can twist his arm and get him to go running with you tonight, then tomorrow night with dinner. I have never seen Edward so excited about a girl before, Bella."

"Oh, Alice, please stop! OK, Rose, I'll fill you in. Edward and I have been flirting like crazy since we met. This flirting may or may not have led to a kiss or two. I like him, and I think he likes me. We're enjoying each other's company and we'll see how it goes," I confessed.

"I hate to say it, Bella, but Alice is right. Edward is usually so reserved in matters of the heart. It is nice to see him living a little. The serious doctor thing has to get old after a while. And I don't call him Monkward for nothing," Rose said, winking at Alice.

"That's just the thing, Rose. I am usually the one to keep the distance. A few years back, I fell for a guy, and when I extended my assignment because I thought he loved me like I loved him, he broke it off with me, saying that he didn't feel as if he could offer the commitment that I was seeking. I was devastated and since then, I have been content to focus on work and keep people at a distance emotionally. Maybe things have been brewing for a while, but when I got here, to be honest, I noticed the love between you and Emmett, and Alice and Jasper. My best friend back in Phoenix is getting ready to ask his girlfriend to marry him. My mom is constantly telling me about how her friends are all becoming grandmothers. Maybe I am ready to try again, to put myself out there. Maybe I'm just tired of being alone. But then, in the back of my head, I have things I want to accomplish, places to see, degrees to finish. I think those goals might be what have been keeping me from opening my heart. And then, in the span of seven days, I meet a guy who is fantastic, in a place that feels more like home than the place where I grew up, and I end up pouring my heart out to a couple of girls I barely know, but feel such a connection to that I can't just dismiss it. Is any of this making sense? Stop me if you think I need medication…"

Rose cracked a smile and said, "I think Dr. Edward has just the medicine you need, Bella!" Alice let out a hoot, and other patrons looked up from their lunches to see what the fuss was about. I blushed a brilliant crimson, I'm sure, and tried to hide my smile. The three of us burst out laughing, and just like that, the burdens of my heart and mind became a little lighter.

The rest of our lunch hour (yes, it must be nice to own your own business and take hour-long lunches) was spent getting to know one another. Rose and Emmett planned to marry in March, while Alice had been orchestrating the perfect June wedding, as in a year from now June, for herself and Jasper since January. She assured me that a long engagement like hers was necessary to work out the details, while Rose rolled her eyes. She and Emmett were considering a beach wedding on a tiny Hawaiian island. They wanted something intimate to share with their closest family and friends, while at the same time, a grand celebration. Their weddings would be polar opposites, it seemed.

I shared more details of my travels and of my family, and told them how I hoped that they might tag along as I tried to knock a few more states off of my list. Of course, Alice had knowledge of a perfect resort on the Oregon coast, and Rose had a relative who owned a condo at Lake Tahoe. More road trips were indeed in my future.

We paid the bill and headed from the diner, Rosalie headed back to her office, while Alice and I walked the short distance to her shop. We were greeted by Brandy, a perky, pierced brunette who was thumbing through the latest issue of Vogue.

"Brandy, this is Bella. She is renting Em and Rose's Victorian. Bella, don't let Brandy's collection of precious metal and gemstones embedded in her scare you. She really is a sweetheart!" Alice said, with a wink in Brandy's direction.

"Nice to meet you, Bella!" Brandy said with a smile and a flash of a barbell through her tongue. "Alice, The Spanx rep called, and they wanted to know if you would like to preview the new line of pantyhose they are offering. The contact info is on your screen on an orange Post-It. I went ahead and pulled a quick inventory of what we have on hand already, which is on the green Post-It. We can probably do a small counter display here at the register and the main display will fit in quite nicely near the front window upstairs, the sketch of which is on the blue Post-It. And, a reminder of how invaluable I am is on the heart-shaped Post-It."

Alice giggled and pulled Brandy into a hug. "Remind me to give you a raise, girl!"

"That's what's on the purple Post-It!" Brandy called as she disappeared into the back area.

Laughing, Alice ushered me up the stairs to the second floor. It was unbelievable. Posh didn't begin to describe it. This place wasn't just someplace to buy underwear, it was a destination. I turned in a circle, taking it all in, my mouth agape.

"Alice…there are no words! This is a shrine to silk and lace, with a little spandex for good measure! You must have been touched by the very hand of God to have created such a place!" I looked to my left, toward the front of the store, where there were two windows with a plump, comfy couch in between. The hardwood floors had fluffy throw rugs scattered about in hues of champagne, pink and chocolate. The walls were a color that could only be described as a blush, and at the area of the huge room opposite the windows housed a huge triple mirror and a platform upon which to view yourself from every angle. The dressing area was situated near the top of the steps, two large rooms perfectly outfitted with cushioned benches and antique mirrors.

"It makes me proud to hear your praise, Bella! You know, in high school, I had a clear vision of what I wanted to do. I love fashion, but a lot of people think that I'm just some flighty girl who has taken my parents' money and gotten lucky when I opened this place. I worked so hard in college to learn about the _business_ of fashion, too."

"Well, I don't know much about business, Alice, but I know what I like. This room makes me want to stay and shop forever, and I really don't like to shop! Except for underwear."

"Well, Bella, you are in the right place then!"

I wandered through the racks, picking up things to try on here and there, chatting with Alice about dresses and shoes. I came across the perfect replacement for my pilfered panties and bra, hoping that the bra would make the girls look incredible. I took the items to the dressing room to try on. As I was undressing, I heard my phone beep, indicating that I had an incoming text. Edward.

_This place isn't as fun without you today. ____ What's up? -e_

_I'm at Alice's trying on a few things. –b_

_I'm afraid I'll need photographic confirmation of that. –e_

_Fat chance, Cullen. Not until after the 5__th__ date, at least. ;) –b_

_I have my mission, then. –e_

_That you do. Wanna go for a run after you get home? I'm in desperate need to stretch my legs.-b_

_Sounds like a plan. I'll be by right after I get home. –e_

_Call me? –b_

_You got it, beautiful. Until tonight ____ -e_

My pulse was racing. He called me beautiful! Swoon! After catching my breath, I tried on the pieces I had brought into the dressing room. The bra I had high hopes for looked damn good. The rest of the things were lovely, too. It was so difficult to decide, but I made my choices and joined Alice once again.

"I have a hot running date with your brother tonight," I said to Alice as she took the items I wasn't getting and returned them to their place on the racks.

"Texting behind closed doors now, are we?" Alice teased as she appraised my purchases. "This is a great bra, by the way. Lifts and separates!!"

"I can't wait for his reaction when he sees the shirt! I hope he thinks it's funny."

Alice laughed. "Of course he'll think it's funny and flirty and dare I say sexy!"

We made it to the counter to pay for my things when Brandy saw the bra that I had chosen. "I have that one in black. Drives Jed insane. Plus it lifts and separates!"

I burst out laughing. "That's exactly what Alice just said! I look forward to wearing it."

"Will you be wearing it for anyone in particular, Bella?" Brandy asked with a smile.

I looked at Alice who had a smirk on her face. What do I say?

"Perhaps in the future? I don't have a boyfriend, though. I travel for a living, so I'm fairly unattached."

"But we are working on rectifying that situation, aren't we, Bella?" Alice said with such mischief that I kind of shuddered.

"Oh? Anyone I know, Alice?" Brandy said, with almost the same intensity as the pixie.

"My brother has taken a shine to our fair Bella," Alice started.

"Shut up! Edward Cullen might be off the market? Ovaries everywhere must be weeping!" Brandy laughed. Yep. She spends way too much time with her boss.

"Stop it! You girls are terrible!" I squeaked. Alice and Brandy just kept giggling.

Brandy winked. "Truly, Bella, I am happy to hear that Edward is coming out of his shell. He is so darn serious and into his work. He and my husband, Jed, work together from time to time since Jed is a family medicine doc. Maybe you can keep Edward from volunteering to take too many extra shifts and get him to live a little!"

"My plan exactly!" Alice chimed in.

"I'll see what I can do, I suppose," I relented. It was apparent that these ladies meant well, but I still blushed like crazy, eager to change the subject.

Alice wrapped my purchases as Brandy finished the transaction. It then dawned on me that Alice drove us here. It wasn't a long walk home, but since Brandy was leaving, she offered to drop me at my house. I retrieved Edward's shirt from Alice's car and Brandy and I left. She and Jed only lived about a half-mile from me, so I didn't feel too guilty about her going out of her way.

After I got back home, I took my new pretty things upstairs and flopped on my bed. It was already 2:30. Approximately five hours until Edward would be home. I picked up my phone and began to tap out a to-do list. I needed to grocery shop, clean a little, organize my office area a bit, find some hanging baskets for the porch, and make a Target run. Target was definitely something for tomorrow. I rested my eyes a bit and then headed downstairs. After looking at my recipe for chicken Marsala, I quickly scribbled a list of things that I would need. I jumped into Rufus and heard my phone announce a new text. My silly inner teenager squealed, and I scrambled to read it.

_I hope you found some nice things at Alice's. –e_

Immediately I replied. So much for building anticipation.

_I did. You still up for a run? –b_

_Of course. I'd love to tour you around Forks. Does this count as a date? ____ -e_

_If you throw in some ice cream from the place down the street it does. –b_

_Score! Things are pretty calm here. Hoping to be out on time. CU 7:30 –e_

_Great! See you then. ;) –b_

I floated to the grocery store and picked up all that I needed for dinner and the next couple of days. On the way back, I stopped by the little shop on the square for some wine and some brie. I couldn't find the crackers I like to go with the brie, hoping that I'd have better luck in Port Angeles tomorrow. As I headed home, I saw Rosalie and Emmett walking toward her office. I honked and waved, only to hear Emmett bellow, "BELLAAAA" and wave like a four year-old. Rose elbowed him in the side and rolled her eyes, laughing. I laughed to myself at how I felt like I was in freaking Mayberry waving and honking. What a dork.

Time seemed to drag as I looked at the clock after putting the groceries away. It was only 5:30 and I had two hours to kill. I made a sandwich for myself and ate it. I cleaned the bathrooms, straightened the TV room and gave the kitchen a quick once-over. 6:30. Tick tock. I revised my list for Port Angeles. I swept the front porch. I checked my email. 6:50. Deciding that was close enough to go time, I ran upstairs and changed into a running bra, some shorts and Edward's shirt. I felt giddy as I turned in the mirror to see "CULLEN" written across my back. The shirt was huge on me, but I wore it anyway. Plus it smelled like him. Sigh. Running a brush through my hair, I gave some thought to Alice's words from earlier today. She and Jake must share some cosmic wavelength or something. It was both comforting and disturbing that both my best friend of over fifteen years and a new friend of a week had come to the same conclusion about me and my life. Was I that readable that Alice could see me so clearly? And Jake with the friendly nudge back into the whole dating thing? I was tired of drifting. Could Edward be the anchor I needed?

I pulled a pair of socks from my drawer and tried not to run downstairs to check the time. As I made it to the kitchen, I saw that it was 7:10, so I grabbed my phone, keys and my shoes and headed for the porch swing. Just as I finished tying my shoes, Edward sent me a text.

_Leaving now. See you in a few. –e_

_I'll be waiting on the swing. –b_

I went back inside and turned on the light in the foyer on the porch so that I wouldn't come home to a dark house and locked up. The silver Volvo that I had been waiting for drove by. Edward honked and waved, his smile brilliant. I'm guessing he saw my big goofy grin, too. Not two minutes later, I spied him coming around the corner and he broke into a jog.

"Hi, beautiful," Edward said as he climbed the steps. His face flashed in confusion and then he laughed. "I like your shirt."

I smiled and did a slow twirl, picking up the hem and tying a small knot in the side to keep it from falling past my shorts. "Now I have something of yours, too. We're even."

"Indeed, we are. But I think you might look at me funny if I were to show up in your bra and panties," he said, taking a step closer.

"Quite the contrary," I said, matching his step and bringing my face to his. "I don't do kinky until at least the fifth date, though, so I'll have to settle for my imagination until then." I kissed his nose and pulled him down the stairs. My heart was pounding, and we hadn't even left the porch.

**EPOV**

Good lord, how did Bella get my shirt?And why did my Johnson twitch when I saw my name across her shoulders? The urge to back her ass up against the house and kiss her senseless was overwhelming, but I resisted.

She was a vixen, bending over under the pretense of doing a stretch, but I knew she was trying to rile me up. It was working. I stretched as well, trying not to notice the curve of her hips to her thigh, or her shapely calves. It was torture, and I was so happy to be subjected to it.

"So where are we headed, Cullen? Left or right?" Bella asked as we walked down her driveway to the street.

"I think we'll go left, down toward the school and then loop back and stop for ice cream, OK? Then you can tell me how you acquired this," I said, touching my shirt.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Bella said with a sly grin, and then started to run away. The view from behind was amazing, but I quickly followed and pulled up beside her.

It was an easy run and not much was said. After about twenty minutes, we found ourselves on the main road that made its way through Forks. About a quarter mile from the ice cream parlor, I slowed us to a walk so that we could cool down a bit. Neither of us was winded, but we had worked up a nice sweat. The cool ice cream would be a welcomed treat. I was contemplating whether or not to take her hand when I felt her slip her hand into mine. It felt _right_.

I held the door as we walked into the parlor, because that's the kind of gentleman I am, and watched Bella's curvy ass and hips sway as she walked past, because that's the kind of horny teenager I am. I looked up and saw Camille, the owner of the shop, shaking her head at me.

"I'd expect that of Emmett, but not you, Edward!" she said to me with a wink.

"He's a bad influence, that brother of mine," I said and gave her my best apologetic smile. She saw through my bullshit and laughed. "Camille, this is Bella. She just moved here to town and works at the hospital with me. Bella, this is Camille, my ice cream supplier since I was in utero."

"Nice to meet you, Bella! It's true, Edward has been coming here since he and that sister of his gave poor Esme the biggest craving for mint chocolate chip I have ever seen. What can I get you kids tonight?" Camille asked.

"I think I'll have a single scoop of brownie batter in a sugar cone, please," Bella said, looking like a five year old girl as she gazed in wonder at all of the choices before her. Camille made her cone and handed it to her, and then began making my mint chocolate chip cone.

"He never gets anything else, honey," laughed Camille when Bella looked at us with a questioning look on her face.

"That's good! I was beginning to wonder if there was some mindreading going on or something," said Bella.

I paid for our cones and we took seats at a table next to the window. "So what are your plans for tomorrow, Edward?" Bella asked.

I was quite taken with watching her mouth as she ate her cone. It was like a fucking preview of a blowjob. Realizing that she was waiting for me to actually respond to her question and not sit there, picturing her mouth wrapped around me, I looked at her eyes and smiled. "I have the day off, as you might know. Nothing really planned. Catching up on housework, some shopping. I need to get my lawn mowed sometime this weekend. And then I have a dinner party to attend at this hot chick's house."

Bella snickered. "Anyone I know?"

I leaned back in my seat and tangled my feet in hers, craving some kind of contact with her. "What about you? Grand plans?"

"I just have to make a run to Port Angeles. They have a Target there, right? Just a few things to do here and there. Then I need to get ready, because this hot guy is coming over for dinner," she says, and wraps her mouth around her cone again, drawing it out slowly. This woman was going to be the death of me.

"I could go with you to Port Angeles, if you'd like. That is, if you're not totally sick of me yet," I began, then popped the last of my cone into my mouth. I noticed Bella looking at my mouth, just as I had been doing to hers. It was time for a little fun. I wanted to see her adorable blush. "Bella, my eyes are up here."

Bella's eyes grew wide, her cheeks reddened and then she shot me a frown. Then her face lit up with a fantastic smile. "You caught me ogling your mouth, Cullen. It's not a bad thing." She licked her lips slowly, taking the last little bit of her cone into her mouth and turned the act of eating the confection into porn right in front of me.

I turned in my seat and smiled at Camille. "See you next time, my dear."

"Don't be a stranger, Eddie," she called back with a laugh, knowing how much I hated that name.

Bella waved and said goodbye as well, and we headed back to her place a few short blocks away. I wanted to take her hand, but then she beat me to it.

"So, would you like to go together tomorrow, or do you want to fly solo? I won't be offended if you'd rather go by yourself," I said, looking down at her, so cute in my oversized shirt. Her ponytail was swaying with her walk and I was mesmerized by her every move.

"That would be lovely, Edward. Would you mind if we got an early start, though? I was hoping to leave here by 8:00 so that I could get back before 2:00 or so," Bella said. "Oh, and I was planning to get my oil changed as well, so would you mind if I drove?"

"I'd love to take a trip in Rufus!" I told her as we approached the sidewalk in front of her house, and then climbed the stairs to the porch.

"Would you like to come in? I know you're probably all sweaty and gross from running, but I was hoping…" she began, then she turned from me to unlock the door.

"What were you hoping?" I asked. "And you never did tell me how you acquired my shirt," I said in a low voice close to her ear. I felt her shiver, which made my stomach do flip flops.

"I was just hoping that our date wasn't over yet, because I always seem to have fun with you. And blame your twin for the breaking and entering. We tried to recover my unmentionables and that mission was a total fail. She thought your favorite t-shirt would be a fair trade. She got the bat-shit crazy gene, by the way." I closed the door behind us as she went into the parlor.

"I won't argue with you there. That girl is my sister and the best friend I have, but the things she gets in her head are enough to drive someone nuts. Jasper is a saint!" I laughed.

Bella placed her keys on her desk, and then turned around, reaching for my hand. "I won't keep you long. I just wanted to properly thank you for the date. I had a wonderful time, but don't think our neighbors want to see me snogging you senseless on my front porch."

"Mmmmm," I hummed as I drew her into my arms and kissed her lips, a hint of chocolate remaining from the mouth orgy that was her cone. "You taste like chocolate."

"And you're minty."

We continued to stand there, kissing, tasting each other's mouth. At one point, she reached up and tangled her hands in my hair, which caused me to draw her hips into mine. The feeling was out of this world, her petite body pressed up against mine, the bulge in my pants starting to strain against its confines. She broke the kiss, breathing heavily, resting her head on my chest.

"As much as I'd like to put out on this first date," Bella began with a wicked smile on her lips, "I think that we'd be better off saying good night. I'm sure you didn't get enough sleep last night, and I want you to be able to stay awake for me tomorrow. I have plans for you, mister."

"Oooh. And what might these plans be? Should we count it as a second date then?" I asked playfully.

"That we should. I will be at your place at 8AM. Be there or be square, got it?"

"Yes ma'am." I bent down to give her another kiss, and she surprised me by licking my bottom lip. At that point I was obliged to return the favor with a few licks of my own. Bella groaned and broke away.

"I am really liking the taste of mint at this moment," she giggled, "but I need my beauty sleep."

"What?" I said, aghast. "You licked me first!"

"I know. I'm a fickle female, but I have my reasons. Out! I'll see you in eleven hours," she countered, pushing me toward the door.

I turned around quickly, wrapping my arms around her and lifting her up. Kissing her soundly, I then returned her to her feet and whispered in her ear, "No, my Bella, I'll see you in my dreams."

"OK. Part of me wants to get all giddy and think that you just said the sweetest thing to me, and the other part wants to laugh at what a cheesy line that was, Cullen," Bella said with a grin.

I let my eyes roam all over her body and then locked eyes with her. "It's a good thing that I like all of your parts, then." I deployed the panty-dropping half smile and then kissed her nose.

We stepped onto the porch and shared one last peck before I jogged down the steps and off toward my house. I looked over my shoulder to see the porch light blink, and jogged the rest of the way home.

Once I made it inside, I headed straight for the shower, mostly because Bella Swan had made me hard as a rock, and I was aching for relief. A few strokes into my self-appreciation, all I could think of was her mouth and the way I yearned for it to caress my cock as it had that ice cream cone. An embarrassingly short amount of time later, I came undone. After I finished washing, I jumped from the shower and dried off. I heard my phone beep, so I hurried to pick it up, hoping it was Bella. I wasn't disappointed.

_All squeaky clean? ;) –b_

_I am. You? –e_

_Yup. Thanks for a great evening. I'd have to say it was the best first date ever! –b_

_Same here. Prepare yourself for the best second date ever tomorrow. –e_

_I have no doubt it will be. See you at 8! –b_

_Yes, you will. Goodnight, beautiful. ____ -e_

_Goodnight! Sweet dreams, Dr. Cheesy –b_

I pulled on a pair of pajama pants and collapsed into bed. Exhaustion won out over the anticipation of another day with the woman who was quickly stealing my heart. 


	7. Chapter 7

**The world of Twilight belongs to Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**Hello, everyone! Slightly quicker on the update this time. Ha! Thanks for being patient and reading. Love the comments you have left me! And I do have to say that one of my most favoritest things to do is see where you live. For the longest part of the month, Lithuania had the most readers behind the US and Canada. No shit!! So to those of you in Lithuania, thanks a bunch!**

**So, I came out of the FF closet a few weeks ago and confessed to the hubs that I have this story. Aside from the occasional teasing, he is very supportive. Don't know if he's reading or not (gasp), but if he is—Thanks, kitten!**

**Another huge thank you goes to TwiSherry. I love you, Sis!! She keeps me sane and reads this stuff before I can make it look decent!**

**Oh, and if you aren't old enough to buy a pack of smokes or vote, then you really shouldn't be reading this. **

**BPOV**

I had to make sure that I had those insulated bags for the cold packs I had in my hands. They were in their usual spot in the back of Rufus, so I placed the packs into the bags, hopped in and headed over to Edward's house. When I was halfway up his sidewalk, he emerged from his house, two travel mugs of what I assumed was coffee in his hands.

"Mmmm! I love me some caffeinated beverages in the morning," I purred to him, taking the mug.

"Oh. I only drink decaf," Edward said, and then broke into the cutest smile.

"You'll pay for that, you know," I said, playfully pushing on his shoulder. He grabbed my hand and pulled me to him, kissing me with enthusiasm. He tasted like mint and coffee. I rested my forehead briefly on his.

"Morning," he whispered.

"Morning," I whispered back, feeling all tingly and fluttery and loving every second.

I turned around and started walking toward my truck. When I sensed that he wasn't following, I turned around. His eyes were trained on my backside.

"You're checking out my ass, Cullen!"

"And what a fine ass it is, Swan," he chuckled and winked at me. We settled ourselves into our seats and headed out.

The trip seemed to fly by as Edward and I talked about everything. He hijacked my iPod and made a playlist for "Trips with Edward," promising to add some of his favorites sometime soon. Apparently, my library of over 3000 songs was severely lacking.

"When is your birthday? And Alice's too, I guess?"

"My birthday is June 20. Hers is June 19. She's eight minutes older than me."

"That's so cool! I guess she wanted to stand out, huh? No sharing the spotlight," I joked.

"I personally think she waited until 11:58 to be born so that she could plan two parties every year. One for her and one for me," he laughed, shaking his head.

I filed away the fact that I would need to find something within the next few weeks for each of them.

We got to the outskirts of Port Angeles less than an hour after we left, and Edward guided us toward Target. Once we got there, I turned to him after I parked.

"Thanks for coming with me today, Edward. I hope I'm not monopolizing your time or anything."

"As if you could. It is simply not possible, my Bella. Plus, I needed one of those 24-packs of toilet paper at an economical price," he snarked at me, then kissed the tip of my nose.

Once inside, we grabbed yet another coffee at Starbucks and each of us got a shopping cart. The store was fairly empty, and he pushed his cart up alongside mine.

"Wanna race?" he asked with a devilish smile.

"You're on! You get three steps, then one foot remains on the cart at all times. Push it like a skateboard, and the first one to the corner by the dressing rooms wins. Loser buys lunch." Amateur.

Still smiling, Edward began counting, but left before he got to three, the cheater. His long legs got him a nice head start, but I was gaining. The accessories and junior clothes went flying by my peripheral vision, and suddenly, we were even, taking up the whole aisle with our antics. Just then, one of the wheels on Edward's cart went all wonky. Almost in slow motion, I saw this flash of red plastic and chrome veer to the right and he crashed into a rack of satiny bras and panties, knocking it over to the ground with a loud, metallic sound. His cart went down next, turning over on its side, taking out another rack of sports bras. It was fucking hilarious, and I almost pissed myself laughing so hard.

"Shit! At least I saved most of my coffee!" Edward said, holding the cup up victoriously and looking around, no doubt praying that we would be allowed to continue our shopping. I hurried to the scene of the accident and began helping him to right the displays, placing the articles of clothing where we thought they should go. It took us about ten minutes, and not a single Target Team Member approached us. Shit, they were all probably in the back replaying the surveillance video and laughing their asses off.

"Karma's a bitch, huh, Cullen?" I laughed as we tried to roll our carts away with some dignity.

"I know not of which you speak, Swan. An unfortunate accident, nothing more, nothing less," he said, pretending to be very interested in the display of cargo shorts.

"You, my dear man, cheated. Starting before you should have, and the powers that be righted the wrong. You," I said, standing on my tiptoes and getting close to his handsome, scruffy face, "owe me lunch."

"I concede," he said simply, dropping a lingering kiss on my lips.

We cruised the store, placing items from our shopping lists into our carts. Our carts were filling up, and Edward said that he forgot something in the automotive section, and that he would find me in a few minutes. I wandered through the housewares, looking at new corkscrews. That turned my mind to the thought of drinking wine with Edward, and the type of activity that might go along with a lovely wine buzz. Shit! I am going to need condoms! Or am I? Damn it all to hell! I mean, I'm pretty sure that's where we will head, eventually. Mmmm, giving Edward head…heh heh heh… Jeebus! What's wrong with me?? This man had me thinking about going down on him in the middle of fucking Target!? Get it together, Swan.

I took a few deep breaths and continued to absentmindedly stroll the aisles, leaning on the cart with my forearms, not even noticing which department I was in. As I pulled my head from my ass, I noticed that I was in the health and beauty aids. I picked up some toothpaste and dental floss, and rounded the corner to the next aisle. I looked up as I accidentally ran my cart into someone and let out a squeak when I noticed it was Edward. And he had a pack of magnum-sized condoms in his hands. Sweet mother of God.

His eyes went wide, and I saw a hint of a blush flash across his cheeks. He then laughed and waved the pack at me. "Would you believe that I was a Boy Scout? Always prepared?" He asked sheepishly. I laughed nervously.

"Yes, I do believe you strike me as the type of person to think of everything, Edward," I said, looking down at the package in his hands. "Would you mind buying the ones that are super sheer, though? I hear that they're almost like wearing nothing at all."

Edward's mouth opened and closed several times before he let a smile infect his perfect face. "I'll get a few different kinds, OK?" he said, and then began rattling off the choices that were on the shelves before us. "Ribbed, Twister, Warming Sensations-ouch...I think we might forgo that one, if you don't mind. Her Pleasure?"

I was cracking up, walking a thin line between excitation and mortification. I stood next to him casually, picking up the various choices and reading the boxes for the first time in my life. "I see we are limited to the Magnum selection, then? Lucky me." I said with a smirk.

"And they have a vibrating ring," he said, handing the package over to me, an eyebrow lifted.

"Hmm. Sounds interesting. I'll try almost anything once," I said, tossing the item into my cart. I looked at his smoldering eyes and winked, then began to walk away. Feeling evil, I called over my shoulder, "Don't forget the lube, babe. Astroglide, I think."

Edward stood there, three packs of condoms in his hands, still as a statue as his eyes about popped out of his head. I turned around to find an elderly couple, clearly entertained by our exchange. The woman looked at me and patted my arm. "That's it, honey. Take charge and enjoy your special times. Nothing to be ashamed about. And you," she said, smiling sweetly to Edward, "Take your time and make sure she enjoys it, too. My David still does."

"Polly, now leave the poor kids alone," David (apparently) chastised.

"Yes, ma'am. Thank you for that advice," Edward said to Dr. Ruth and her hubs as if he was just given guidance on what type of laundry detergent to buy. I hurried over to the shampoo aisle to load up on my favorite strawberry shampoo that wasn't available in Forks. OK. I was also totally ditching the prophylactics situation two aisles over as well. As I placed the fourth bottle shampoo in my cart, I heard a low, sexy voice behind me.

"Bella… that wasn't very nice, just leaving me with David and Polly like that," Edward's velvet voice oozed in my ear. He had snuck up on me; his body close enough that I could feel his warm breath on my neck. It took all of the control that I had not to grind myself against him.

"I needed shampoo?" I said, but it came out as a question. He remained close, nuzzling my ear.

"Polly was kind enough to share her insights on personal lubrication with me, while David stood there, shaking his head. The three of us decided on regular and warming lube, in case you were wondering."

"Oh my _GOD_, Edward, I am so sorry, and yet at the same time I can't help but laugh my ass off!" I said, turning to look at him, his green eyes full of laughter.

"That definitely goes into the top five most embarrassing moments, for sure," he laughed, taking the Astroglide boxes from his cart and placing them into my own. "I don't want to look like a total deviant at the checkout with three boxes of condoms and more lube than a NASCAR race."

I giggled and flashed him an apologetic smile. "No problem. Oh, did you get what you needed in the automotive section?" I asked, knowing damn well he had no intention of going there.

Edward smiled and rubbed the back of his neck. "Be nice, Ms. Swan. I'm sure it was just a coincidence that you bumped into me a few aisles over." He raised an eyebrow at me and my blush gave it all away.

"Touché," I said, willing to let the whole subject drop so that my complexion could return to its normal state. "Are you about done? I think I have everything I need, with the exception of my oil change and a few things from the grocery store."

"Yep. We can go up the road a bit and get your oil done. Then lunch?"

"Sure! I'm looking forward to having everyone over tonight. Emmett really designed that kitchen for a crowd. I have missed cooking so much!"

"You should have seen it before Emmett gutted it. It was awful. But that is what my brother is good at. My house was nearly a tear-down, as they say. Emmett saw potential. I called him the second my neighbor said that she heard your place was going on the market." Edward said as we chose which checkout we wanted to go to.

"I'm so glad you made that call to him. I truly love the place! It is like a dream after all of the places I have stayed over the years. It is the first place that has felt like home to me."

Edward's features softened a bit with an expression that I couldn't read. "I know what you mean, Bella. I think Forks is finally beginning to feel like home again to me, too."

We paid for our purchases, and when the cashier couldn't get one of the boxes of condoms to scan after five attempts, I wanted to just disappear. Edward just patiently stood there while the cashier scanned one of the other boxes twice and threw them all into a bag. Ever the polite man, he thanked her and wished her a happy day. There must be a course in med school where they teach you to curb your inner frat boy to keep you from laughing in delicate situations.

We were able to find one of those ten minute oil changing places, and after we crossed that chore off my list, Edward steered us toward a little deli where we had the best sandwiches and homemade sweet potato fries. The conversation kept itself going, and when we finished, Edward showed me a little market nearby that had a nice selection of produce. He gathered the ingredients for a salad for the evening, while I checked out the fruits and other vegetables. We went about our shopping as if this was something we did all of the time. As I began to think about that, I felt a smile creep across my face. At the same moment, Edward turned to look at me. He had a similar smile on his face. I kept smiling as I pushed our cart toward him.

"What's that beautiful smile about?" Edward asked, placing the salad goods in the cart and squeezing my shoulders.

"I was just thinking of how easy it is to be with you. It's refreshing, really. I don't really have any of the awkward, getting to know you feelings. I just feel like we click," I said. Before Edward, I could not have made a statement like that to a man without second guessing myself, worried about what he thought I meant and didn't mean. It was way out of my comfort zone to even speculate such a thing. I knew Edward felt the same way, though. The way his arms enveloped me in a hug from behind confirmed this.

"I know exactly what you mean, Bella. We do click." He then kissed my cheek and looked like he was about to say more, but then didn't. Instead he placed my hand in his and began to push the cart.

"I have to see if they have any Grasshopper cookies for dessert! I nearly forgot!" I exclaimed. It was a small store, and I just knew I would be paying a fortune for the chocolaty-minty cookies, but it was vital for my plan. Sure enough, at a price of $4.79, I secured the baked goodies and paid for my items.

Edward helped me put the produce into the insulated bags with my cold packs and we began our drive back home. It was only 12:45, so I had plenty of time to finish what I needed to do for dinner. Edward and I talked about work for most of the ride back. He explained to me that he, Carlisle and James had worked out a pretty good schedule between the three of them. There were 14 twelve-hour shifts that needed to be covered weekly, and that worked out to right about five shifts per week. Carlisle had administrative duties that claimed him a few days a month, but other than that, he was able to spend his time being a doctor rather than a memo writer. There were eight full-time RNs in the department, aside from myself, and six part-time ones. I was able to alleviate only three shifts of the understaffed nightmare that was present. Fortunately, the float pool and the ICU could help cover things, but Glenda was always on the lookout for someone to hire.

"Welcome to Forks," Edward said as we passed by the sign at the edge of town. "My mom is on the committee that takes care of that sign and the little garden in front of it. When we were kids, we spent some time up there repainting and weeding. I always saw it as punishment, but Alice and Emmett actually volunteered, drawing up elaborate plans and color schemes. I guess it fit in with their future careers."

"Were you playing doctor all over town, then?" I asked jokingly.

"Uuuuuh, no. I guess I was your typical guy. I was on the football, basketball and baseball teams, mostly because there isn't much else to do for kids after school. I did volunteer in my senior year of high school at the hospital, and I actually worked as an aide a couple of summers. Glenda will tell you that I can make a bed in no time flat."

"I'm impressed! Most docs won't stoop to that level, leaving the menial tasks for others while they tend to more important matters."

"Carlisle and Esme raised us to know that you have to appreciate all parts of the job in order to be the best at what you do. Emmett doesn't just design houses, he actually creates them with hammer and nails, drywall and mud, and he doesn't ask any of his employees to do anything that he wouldn't or hasn't done himself. Alice is the same way with her business."

"Well, I'm sure that your parents are proud of all three of you. My mom is a teacher, and my dad is a police detective in for the Phoenix Police Department. It sounds like we got a lot of the same speeches growing up. Charlie and Renee do a lot with various volunteer organizations. I was always involved with kids in high school and college."

"Do you think that your parents will come and visit you while you're in Forks?"

"Well, Jacob already accepted an invite from Emmett for the Seahawks-Cardinals game in the fall, and I can't see my dad staying home for that! I think Renee and Leah will be along for the ride."

Edward nodded his head, and I pulled into his driveway. We carried his purchases into the house. This time when I entered, I tried not to make it so obvious as I inhaled the calming scent of his home. I just prayed that Alice kept that bit of knowledge to herself.

After we dropped his purchases onto the island, Edward leaned back against the counter and pulled me to him. We fit together like puzzle pieces.

"As much as I would love to stay here like this, I really need to get going home and get things started," I said with a sigh.

"I know. Is there anything I can help you with?"

"That's very sweet, but I think I have everything covered. If you bring some wine, that would be perfect. And I have a special dessert inspired by you. I hope you like it!" I said, hoping that I could get it done in time.

I gave Edward a kiss, intending it to be quick and fairly devoid of tongue, but I could not help myself when he began to nibble on my bottom lip. Ten minutes and thousands of heartbeats later, I pulled away from his perfect pout and pulled him to the door with me.

"I'll see you at six, Dr. Cullen," I said, practically skipping down his steps and to Rufus. I turned around to see him, once again, ogling my behind. I laughed and hopped in my truck. Instead of pulling into my driveway, however, I continued down the street to the ice cream shop. Camille was there and eager to fulfill my request for a gallon of mint chocolate chip ice cream when I explained that I was making an ice cream cake for dessert. She even gave me a bag of sprinkles when she heard that Emmett would be there, telling me I would understand when the time came.

Time flew. I prepared the cake first, crushing the Grasshopper cookies and microwaving them enough so that the chocolate melted a bit. Then I pressed the cookie crumbs into the bottom of a springform pan. At this point, the ice cream had been out long enough so that it was soft, and I was able to spread it over the crust. I made sure to leave enough room in the pan to accommodate the fresh whipped cream I'd be garnishing with later. I couldn't help but chuckle to myself. I felt goofy and giddy about making a silly dessert for the sheer purpose of seeing Edward smile. It was a great feeling.

I double checked all of my ingredients for the main dish and prepped the veggies for it and the salad. I sat the linguini out on the counter next to the stove where I had a pot of water ready to go when it was time to cook it. I cleaned the chicken breasts and pounded them thin, then cut them into bite-sized pieces. I put away the items that needed to be refrigerated, checked once more on the ice cream confection I had placed into the freezer, and did a quick wipe down of the counters. It was already 4:30, and time to shower and change. With a bounce in my step, I headed upstairs.

On the back of the bathroom door, I hung the dress I had picked up at Alice's. I retrieved the new bra and panty set from my underwear drawer and headed for the shower. The showerheads spraying water from different directions was a heavenly feeling. I felt pampered and so relaxed as I sat on the bench, enjoying the sensation of the invigorating streams of water hitting my body.

The intensity of my feelings toward Edward surprised me, but it was not at all unwelcome. The man was a god-like creature who enjoyed my company and my body in close proximity to his. The feeling was definitely mutual. Just having him close to me set off all sorts of bells and whistles in and around my vagina. I was so glad to know that he was thinking of sex in the future. Truthfully, I wasn't sure how much longer I could hold out. The pull to him was almost overpowering. Less than a week and I was ready to give it up? WTF?

Thinking about Edward in the shower was dangerous, and soap did nothing to ensure the safety of my girl parts as my mind began to wander. As my slick hand grazed my clit, it occurred to me just how very long it had been since a man had made me feel like, well, a woman. Since Mike, I had become quite adept in the art of self-appreciation. Rabbits, g-spot vibes and an active imagination were adequate, but nothing compared to the skilled hands, mouth, and cock of a man. If our make-out session was any indication, Edward's ability to make me come was a foregone conclusion in my mind. I thought back to his strong hands as they caressed my breasts. My own fingers circled my clit with increasing pressure. As I recalled the way his tongue played across my nipples, flicking and biting softly, I pinched and rolled first one hardened peak, then the other, my back involuntarily curving into a gentle arch. Edward had long fingers, a detail I focused my thoughts on as I dipped my middle finger into my folds. The past few days in Edward's presence had created quite the flood of wetness between my legs, and I was eager to share with him. I imagined what it would be like to gaze down between my legs to see his gorgeous hair, darkened by the streams of hot water, and to see his entrancing green eyes, darkened by the arousal I caused to surge through him. Sex to me has always been more than a tactile experience. I began to circle my hips faster as I imagined how the steam in the confines of the shower would intensify his scent. My climax grew closer. I imagined tasting myself on his fingers and tongue, tasting his cock as it leaked a pearl of his essence from his glorious tip. I heard my breathing pick up as I felt my self approach the edge. I remembered how his voice, his groans of pleasure shot to my core each time I heard and felt them mixed with his kisses. I recalled his voice, in a low, gruff whisper, saying my name as I closed my eyes and yelled his name in reply. My orgasm hit me with such force that I threw back my head against the tumbled marble tiles, the pleasure amplified by the pain. I slumped a bit on the bench and caught my breath. After a minute or two, I smiled to myself. If I could feel that amazing just_ thinking_ about Edward Cullen, then God only knows the ways my body would surrender to the real thing.

**EPOV**

I kept my eyes on the clock. It took all I had to remain sane as the last hour ticked by until I saw Bella again. Never mind that I had already spent the better part of the day with her. I was smitten, enchanted and delightfully being pulled into Bella's web. And it was becoming more and more apparent that there was no place else better for me to be.

Alice made fun of me when I called her shortly after Bella dropped me off. Shit, I thought she was going to speed over here to check to see if I had traded in my dick for a vagina. All I wanted was a little advice on what I should wear, and she squealed in such a way that I am certain dogs in a one-mile radius heard her.

After guiding me toward the "perfect ensemble for a fun evening of getting to know one another," whatever the fuck that meant, Alice hung up on me.

So I sat at my desk in my green chambray button down shirt (to "compliment my hair and eyes", Alice said) with the sleeves rolled up (to make it look like I was comfortable and to showcase my "drool-worthy arms," Alice said), a pair of distressed khaki cargo shorts (to "accentuate my long, muscular legs", Alice said), my Keen sandals (because "they're not sneakers," Alice said), and my hair in its usual state of disarray ("fuckhot sex hair," Alice said, which disturbed me greatly as I shared too much DNA with her for that kind of observation to be anything but wrong), checking iTunes for songs that I could gift to Bella once I remembered to get her email address. The girl needed a few essentials for any road trips that we would be taking. I was hoping that today was the first of many, and I was only too happy to indulge in a few songs here and there.

Our trip today was fantastic. I mentally patted myself on the back when I saw her eyes light up at the sight of coffee. And she was kidding herself if she thought I wasn't about to check out her backside and the way it looked in her shorts. Her legs alone could have kept my mind occupied for hours. Then she walked away from me and all that I could do was stare at her tiny waist as it curved into her hips and lovely round ass.

How was it that a week ago, I was content with my life? I went to work, had my family, did my own thing, and then, in an instant, practically, all I could think about was Bella. I had spent so much time with her since meeting her on Tuesday. It had only been three and a half days since our paths crossed, and I yet I felt fundamentally changed. Spending time away from her, to me, felt like torture. It was as if she was what I had been waiting for, even though that sounds totally emo and I could scarcely admit it to anyone but Mom and perhaps Alice. And damn that twin of mine and her all-knowing ways. She had sent a text to me that said, "I really like her, and I know she's the one. Persevere, mon frère." WTF? Strangely enough, her saying that as I was running through the confusion I had in my head and heart bolstered me a bit and made me feel a bit lighter today. I hardly thought about the fact that Bella will move on in six months. That fact was present when I got into my head too much, but I was able to push it away for the time being. I was going to be a glass half full kind of guy about this.

It was nearing 6 o'clock, so I grabbed my iPod, the two bottles of wine and the bouquet of wildflowers I picked up at the florist earlier and headed out the door. I could feel my heart beat faster as I anticipated a fun night with my family and Bella. As I turned the corner, I noticed there were no other cars at her place. I did a little happy dance in my head because I wanted a private moment with her to greet her properly.

I practically flew up the stairs to her door. One of the things I liked about her house was the attention to detail my brother had when he restored the place. Instead of the usual, modern doorbell, Emmett had kept the old-fashioned bell, like a bicycle bell, which was built into the door. When I rang the diminutive but loud object, I heard Bella's heels clicking on the antique hardwood floor, speeding up when she saw me through the wavy glass of the front door.

When Bella opened the door and I saw her, I think I actually gasped. And then she blushed. She was a vision, in a blue dress that showed off her tits in the best way, short of being naked. Being Alice's brother, I had learned enough about fashion to know that the dress was something like chiffon, all breezy and light, with the v neckline showcasing her collarbones and cleavage. The skirt stopped just above her knees, and she had some strappy sandals that lengthened her legs just enough to make my crotchtal region stand up and take notice. To top it off, her hair was pulled back on the sides while it cascaded down her back in rich, bouncy curls.

"Hi, Edward," Bella said softly, opening the door wide for me. I stepped in and gave her a kiss on the cheek, and then skimmed my way down her neck, depositing an open-mouthed kiss on her clavicle. It was begging for it. I heard her let out a little moan.

"I'm a little embarrassed to admit I missed you," she said sheepishly.

I smiled at hearing that. My heart did that weird flutter thing. Seriously, I swear I had a dick when I left the house…when did my outie become an innie?

"I missed you too, actually. Sorry if I am a few minutes early. These are for you," I said, handing her the flowers. "They look almost as beautiful as you do, you know.""

"Thank you, Edward. They're lovely. You're right on time. Let me get these in some water and you can keep me company while I begin dinner."

Bella smelled the flowers and took my free hand, pulling me with her toward the kitchen.

"I'm sure that I have a vase around here somewhere," she said, laying the flowers on the island and moving to the cabinet near the refrigerator. Up on the top shelf was an earthenware pitcher. Turning and giving me a smile, she asked, "Could you reach that for me?"

I placed the bag containing the wine bottles next to the flowers and walked over to her side. I could smell the fantastic scent of her strawberry shampoo as it engulfed me like an invisible tractor beam, pulling me in. I stood behind her and reached over her head, pressing myself to her back oh so slightly. I was close enough to shamelessly look down the front of her dress, where I saw a flash of blue lace. What I wouldn't give to see more of that later on.

I retrieved the pitcher and handed it to Bella, who promptly rewarded me with a kiss on the nose. She filled the pitcher and transferred the flowers to the water. I looked on the counter where she had everything prepped and ready to go for dinner.

"What do you need me to do?" I asked. Bella immediately blushed and raised an eyebrow at me. My eyes went wide when I realized that Naughty Bella might be joining us for the evening.

"Tie my apron?" she asked, all innocent, turning her back to me and lifting her hair so that I could help guide the article over her head. I stood close to her back, burying my face in her hair and wrapping my arms around her tiny waist. Then, God help me, she leaned forward, grabbing the edge of the black granite counter and pushed her ass right into my rapidly growing hard on. I might have let a moan escape as I reached from her waist to the area between her thighs, cupping her sex and grinding myself on her delightful ass. She leaned her head back on to my shoulder and let out a sound somewhere between a sigh and a moan as she reached up and threaded her fingers into the hair at the back of my head. The contact was heavenly, but I needed to stop before Little Eduardo became a Cock of Unusual Size. I slid my hands back to her waist and proceeded to fashion a bow at the back of the apron.

"If you ever need help with getting things tied up, Bella, I am always willing to help," I said in a low, breathy voice, doing my damnedest to elicit the shiver of pleasure I felt ripple through her body. I heard someone clear their throat and we both snapped our heads toward the screen door that Bella had left open when I arrived. Busted!

"Hand check, kids! Get 'em up where I can see 'em," Emmett teased as he walked into the foyer.

"Up yours, bro," I said as I walked behind the island, not fooling anyone as to what I was trying to hide. Rosalie, Jasper and Alice filed in after Brother Bear, the girls with wine and Jasper with a six pack of his favorite Sam Adams. He was a Texan, for sure, but he loved his Yankee beer.

Bella smoothed out her apron and greeted her guests. "I'm so glad you could all make it! I am getting ready to start the chicken, so we should be ready to eat in about 30 minutes or so. Who wants wine?"

The girls opted for wine, and the guys went with beer. Someone turned on some music, which reminded me of my iPod in my pocket. I had a playlist for Bella that she needed to transfer to her computer at some point, but I left it alone for now. If Emmett got a hold of that little tidbit, I'd never regain my masculinity in his eyes.

"So, brother of mine, what did you do today? Catch up on sleep?" Alice asked.

"Well, actually, Bella and I ran some errands in Port Angeles this morning, and this afternoon, I just hung around the house. I should have mowed my lawn, but I didn't feel like it. I guess I'll get to that tomorrow. That reminds me, do you have a spare lawnmower, Emmett? One that Bella can have for her yard? I noticed that the grass here was getting a little long, too."

Emmett sat at the island and rubbed his chin. "I think I have one at one of the other rental properties that isn't being used. I can bring it by soon. I don't think they are calling for rain at all this weekend, so I can trim it up quick."

"Emmett, I can cut my own lawn. I'm not helpless! Just because I grew up in Phoenix doesn't mean vegetation is a foreign concept to me. Plus it'll be good exercise. I feel like a slug this week," Bella said as she cooked the chicken pieces. She had already sautéed the vegetables and set them aside, and the stockpot filled with water for the linguini had begun to simmer. I tried to watch her surreptitiously as she glided from task to task. She looked up at me and winked as she wiped down the counter.

"Oh my God," Jasper drawled out, "is that a ShamWOW?"

"Why yes, Jasper it is. Made in Germany. That Vince knows his stuff. I also have a Slap-Chop and a Snuggie embroidered with my name," Bella said as she opened a cabinet that showcased all of her As Seen On TV gadgets. "Step off, Cowboy. The Hercules Hooks are mine, too."

"Oh, crap, Bella," Alice laughed. "I think Jasper may call off the wedding and propose to you, since I think his ideal woman is someone who can appreciate such fine things!"

I peered into the open door and saw it all. It was like a stockroom at QVC or something. A stack of ShamWOWs, the Slap-Chop, OxiClean, both powder and spray, the ever perplexing Hercules Hooks and, taped to the inside of the cabinet, were laminated pictures of Bella with Billy Mays and Vince the ShamWOW guy (because who really knows his last name?). Next to the pictures were two pieces of paper, autographs personalized to Bella from each of the men. It was too much, and we were all laughing. Well, all of us but Jasper and Bella.

Jasper put his arm around Bella and said, "Don't you worry darlin', they just don't see the magic the way we do."

"Indeed, Jasper. Indeed. Here, you take the Slap-Chop and help me with dessert. You can make the chocolate garnish," she replied to her new soul mate.

"What's for dessert?" I asked, reaching over Bella's arm, brushing by her lightly, and grabbing a handful of the chocolate chips that Jasper was about to Slap-Chop into pieces.

She smiled a secret smile to me. I just smiled back and tried not to let my eyes travel down her neck to the tops of her breasts but miserably failed. This night was going to be torture trying not to touch her.

"I made something special for you and Alice, since the two of you caused your mom to have such a craving for mint chocolate chip ice cream. I made a trip down to see Camille and I made an ice cream cake. Jasper is taking care of the topping for the whipped cream, which still needs to be made. Who wants to do it?"

"Uh, Bella, don't you just buy Cool-Whip like the rest of us?" Emmett asked with a confused look on his face. Eating was his forte, not cooking.

"Emmett, you big lug! Just for that, Bella, make him do the whipped cream by hand!" Rose said as she pushed her fiancé toward the stainless Kitchen Aid mixer on the far counter.

Bella went to the refrigerator and pulled out two containers of cream. I don't know if she planned it that way, but the cartons were on one of the lower shelves, meaning she had to bend over to reach them. I stared unabashedly at her ass and felt a smack upside my head from my big sister. Bella straightened up and gave me a smirk. She knew she was giving me a show, that tart!

"OK, Emmett," Bella said, "just open the containers and pour them into the bowl. Start the mixer slowly, and then increase the speed. It'll take a few minutes, but we will have whipped cream soon. How's the Slap-Chopping going, counselor?"

"Almost done. This is more fun than I thought! Get away, Alice! This is my job!"

Rose went over to the stove where Bella was finishing the chicken. Alice and I sat at the island with our drinks and watched the assembly line of food prep in front of us. She nudged my arm, so I looked at her.

"Bella, I need to show Edward something on my car, OK?" Alice said.

"That's fine! The pasta should be done in eight minutes," she said with a smile as she watched her workers in front of her.

Alice and I went to her car parked on the street and she opened it up, ushering me into the driver's seat, pretending to show me something on the dash.

"What gives, Tiny? Could you be any more obvious?" I asked grumpily.

"No more obvious that you ogling Bella's ass! So how are things going? Rose and I had a fun time at lunch with her yesterday, and we really like her. She's funny and sweet. Bella's such a perfect match for you! Are you going to ask her out? I know she thinks you're fantastic…" my sister jabbered.

"Shit, Alice, take a breath! To answer your question, things are going well, I guess. I like her. She likes me. We want to spend more time together. Today we had a good time."

I wasn't sure how much I wanted to reveal to Alice. She knew it all, anyway, I'm sure, but somehow, admitting my feelings out loud scared me. I was worried that I'd wake up and find out that I was dreaming about the wonderful woman that was Bella. Now that I had experienced the euphoria of this extreme case of like (it was waaaay too soon for love, right?), I knew I could not go back to life before Bella. There was no spark in that life.

"A good time?! You are lit up like a Christmas tree around her, Edward!"

"Don't push, Alice. I'll be honest with you. Everything feels so right when I'm with Bella. It is truly an effortless thing spending time with her. I feel friendship, for sure, but I am attracted to her in a way that I never was with Tanya. There's a pull, a connection I never imagined I'd feel after such a short time! And we've only got a short time, since she leaves in six months. That thought passed through my head as I kissed her when I arrived this evening. I can see myself old and grey with her, Alice. Am I crazy? After less than a week, I'm dreaming about her and wanting something that sounds suspiciously like happily ever after? I'm all emo! And then you steal my shirt and awaken my inner caveman. What the fuck?" Ranting to Alice always made me feel better.

"Edward," Alice said with a knowing smile, "follow your heart. Our family falls fast and hard. I did. Mom and Dad did. Grandma and Grandpa Platt did. Emmett and Rose did, too, once they admitted it to themselves. None of us will judge you. We just want you to be happy and to find what you have been missing this whole time. You have been looking for so long that it almost seems too good to be true, right? Everything will work out. Take advantage of the time you have now. The details will take care of themselves."

I got out of the car and pulled my sister into a hug. "So I'm not going nuts? All of this is normal? The electricity, the palpitations, and the feeling like I need to be near her all of the time?"

Alice smiled and nodded. "And it only gets better, dear brother. Get in there and show Bella how much you care. We all know how you feel. Time's a wastin'!"

Alice and I made our way up the stairs. I held the door open for her and stopped her briefly before she went in.

"Thanks for talking to me, Sis. I have a good feeling about things."

"Anytime, Edward. All I want is to see you happy. I think you will be. Just be patient."

Alice and I entered the kitchen to a bizarre sight. Emmett was putting the finishing touches on the ice cream cake, spreading the whipped cream into artfully structured peaks. Jasper, his assistant, was on stand-by with his Slap-Chopped chocolate and a huge bag of sprinkles, no doubt from Camille. Rose had tossed the salad together and the rest of the food appeared to be done. Bella had, at some point, gotten her camera and was taking pictures of my brother channeling his inner Julia Child.

I walked up behind Bella, slipped my arms around her waist and rested my chin on her shoulder. It was such a natural thing. She craned her head around and gave me a quizzical look. I shrugged my shoulders and gave her a quick peck on her strawberry flavored lips. She blushed, but at the same time, squeezed my arms closer to her and sighed. I caught Emmett and Rose looking at us, then exchanging a smile.

"Let's get the awkwardness out of the way, shall we?" Bella said. "Edward and I are obviously spending a lot of time together. I hope that everyone is OK with that."

"It's all good in the 'hood, Bella!" my big brother bellowed, and just like that, everyone was smiling and the awkwardness was gone.

"Edward, can you hand me the plates on the counter there?" Bella asked me as I reluctantly let her go. I gathered the items and took them to the stove so that she could plate the food.

"Are those more of your creations, Bella?" Emmett asked

Bella turned to my brother and smiled. "Actually, they are. The salad bowl, too. I want to make a set of small bowls if I can get some time at the studio of the artist you mentioned."

"You made these?" I asked, looking closely at the plate in my hands. It was fantastic.

"Yup," she said with a shy smile. "I learned in college. It is therapeutic. Although my roommate at the time was going through a Patrick Swayze phase and thought I was doing it to find a hot guy to play in the clay, like in 'Ghost,'" Bella giggled.

Bella all scantily clad and slippery from wet clay? My dick twitched.

The other males in the room seemed to be thinking about the same thing, hopefully about their respective women.

"Guys are so predictable," Rose said, looking at Emmett with his far away look in his eyes.

"What? Girls see that scene as romantic, but what it really is, my friends, is well choreographed foreplay," Emmett defended.

"True dat," Jasper said. "That scene was put in there for all of the sad sacks who had to endure the rest of the film with their weepy girlfriends. It's the least they could do for those of us with male genitalia."

That remark earned Jasper a smack on the head from both Rose and Alice. Bella snorted and went back to getting our food.

"Well, guys, we can either eat around the island with two of us standing, or we can eat at my table and two of us can bring the barstools in, since I only have four chairs."

We ended up staying in the kitchen, the girls sitting and the guys standing. The room was such a natural gathering place that none of the guys minded not having a place to sit.

Dinner was coming along nicely, and the six of us were having a blast. There were times when I felt Bella staring at me and was rewarded with a smile and a blush when I caught her. There was one moment when the sunlight came through one of the windows and made color of her beautiful hair explode with shades of auburn and red that almost took my breath away. She threw her head back and was laughing at something Alice said. Rose, who was sitting next to me, nudged me.

"She really is a fun person, Edward," Rose said in a low voice. "It's almost like she's been a part of the gang forever."

"I know. She's amazing," I said simply, admiring Bella. When she looked over at me, she winked. I gave her a smile back.

"Bella, this is all so delicious. I hope you realize that your house will become the gathering place now that Emmett realizes that you can cook," I said.

"I don't mind. I love to cook, and haven't had occasion to do it in so long. Plus, having the perfect kitchen makes it fun," she said, raising her glass to Emmett.

"I do what I can," Emmett said, deflecting the compliment a bit. He was the best at what he did, but always shied away when people praised his work. Rosalie claimed it was part of his charm.

Everyone finished and together, we cleaned the kitchen quickly. Jasper snagged a ShamWOW and wiped the island, amazed by small, yellow rectangle.

"Bella, can you please explain the fascination with these gadgets? And do you really have an embroidered Snuggie?" I asked as I washed and she dried the pots and pans.

"It started as a joke, really. When I was in Dallas, with the flight team? We had this call room, which was just a big room with about eight recliners and a 52 inch TV on the wall. It was always cold, since the pilots always kept the air conditioning on. One night, I was complaining, and the Snuggie commercial came on. A week later, there was a Snuggie on my locker, embroidered with my name. I don't care how ridiculous I look, I love that thing! Every time I was on nights, the guys would find various infomercials for me to watch. Billy Mays, God rest his soul and Vince were at an expo that we had to work one weekend. The guys dragged me over to them, hence the photos and autographs. At my going away party, everyone brought me an item you would find on an infomercial. Good times. Gooood times."

"Please tell me you have some Bump Its! Good lord, I am fascinated with those things! Brandy won't let me order them for the shop. She says they're too low rent," Alice squealed.

Apparently it was Alice's lucky day, as Bella had two kinds of Bump Its, whatever the hell they were.

"Would you boys excuse us for a minute? I have to show Alice and Rose what they have been missing. You can make yourself at home in the TV room. Feel free to hookup the Wii, Edward," Bella said with a smile as she stopped next to me and squeezed my hand, then ran up the stairs with Alice and Rosalie like they were in junior high.

Jasper stood there, ShamWOW in hand, shaking his head. "I wonder how long they will take. It was bad when it was when it was just Alice and Rose," he chuckled. "With three, we're going to be spending a lot of quality time together, my friends."

"Aw, I think it's kind of cute, don't you, Edward?" Emmett asked. I had gone to hook up the video game, and Emmett brought a Coke in for Jasper, me, and himself. He plopped his huge body down onto Bella's sofa. We heard loud laughter and clapping from upstairs, causing us to laugh as well.

"Bella's like a breath of fresh air, that's for sure," I said. "She and Glenda hit it off right away at work. It's nice to have a nurse who knows what she's doing instead of the other temps we have gotten in the past."

"It also helps that she's single, has a smokin' hot body and is rather sweet on you, too, right?" Emmett said, dimples blazing. He was just joking with me, but also trying to make a point. "Are the days of Monkward behind us?"

"Bella and I have spent time together every day since we met. We just click, you know? I'm not going to lie. I like her a lot. I think about her constantly. It's weird and intense and completely foreign to me. Alice says that you just know when it's right. Whatever it is, I don't think I could go back to the way things were a week ago. I was happy before, but now I feel alive. Stop me anytime I get too emo for you," I babbled.

"It's OK, Edward. I can relate. Your sister knocked me on my ass all those years ago in an instant. And I was sixteen! My parents thought I was crazy. Listen to the little one. She has ways of knowing that are scary," Jasper said as he settled onto the chair nearest the kitchen. "How much more moving around does Bella have to do?"

"She is going to San Francisco in December right after she finishes her assignment here. After that finishes up next March, she is planning on grad school. She's not sure where yet. Maybe Phoenix, near her family," I said, hopefully succeeding at hiding my sadness over that fact.

"Maybe she could look at U Dub? That's a hell of a lot closer than Phoenix," Emmett offered.

"Yeah, I could suggest that. I think for the time being I will just enjoy the time we have. If it is meant to be, then it will work out."

Jasper smiled. "You sound exactly like Esme. She said those same words to me when my parents were talking about moving back to Texas senior year. Have some faith, my man."

From upstairs, we heard more laughing and clapping, followed by the sound of the three girls making their way down the stairs. Alice peered around the corner and then jumped out. Rose and Bella appeared as Alice waved her arms like Vanna turning letters. My mouth went dry as I became aware why some men have naughty librarian fantasies. There Bella stood, her hair ridiculously, well, _bumped_, and a pair of the sexiest black framed glasses I have ever seen. It was quickly becoming impossible for me to stand while being in Bella's presence.

"I didn't know you wore glasses, Bella," I said, hoping that nobody noticed the lower, sex-crazed timbre my voice had assumed all on its own.

Bella walked over to the sofa and sat next to me. "I usually wear contacts, but one began bugging me with all of the hairspray that was flying around up there."

Alice and Rose let out little laughs, and Bella shot them a look.

"Let me look at it. Corneal abrasions can be a bitch," I said as I turned her chin toward me, tilting it up to get a better look at her eyes.

"The med-speak is such a turn on," Emmett said to the others, who snickered as Bella blushed.

"I think I'll be ok. You'll be the first person I'll call if I need some attention, though," she said and squeezed my hand, neglecting to let it go. "What do you think of the hair? Alice's is too short to bump, but Rose and I could be spokesmodels, apparently."

"Well, it's…" I began.

"FUGLY!" Alice snorted. "I am so glad I listened to Brandy. I cannot possibly taint my good name with such atrocities!"

"I don't know, darlin', Emmett seems to like it," Jasper said, nodding to the man who was grabbing at Rose.

"I don't think the hair has anything to do with it. Emmett is just a big horndog, plain and simple," Rosalie laughed as Emmett enveloped her in his arms. Bella squeezed my hand and stole a glance at me. Even with the awful hair thingy, she was beautiful. I couldn't wait for everyone else to leave so that I could run my fingers through her curls.

Alice saw the Wii and ran for the controller. "Stick it in, honey. Time to ride!"

"Jesus, Alice, I hope that you are talking about the Cow Racing game, or else I'm going to have to ask you to take it somewhere more private," Bella said with a laugh.

"Oh, Bella, you have no idea how Jasper and Alice go at this game. Watch and learn," Rosalie said.

Jasper and Alice played. It was fun sitting next to Bella because she really got into the game, leaning into me as she watched Alice and Jasper lean into the curves on the game. I turned to her as she leaned way into my side and nuzzled her ear.

"Are you trying to kill me? First the glasses, now the constant sexy Bump It hair brushing up against me?"

"What? Am I distracting you? I truly don't mean to. I'm just a girl trying to enjoy a game," she said, feigning innocence.

"I truly do think you mean to, which is why I have a pillow over my lap and I'm trying to distract myself by thinking of Emmett in drag to take care of a problem I may be having."

Bella let out a laugh that caused Rose to look over at us. Bella winked at Rose and Rose nodded.

"You'll have to tell me all about that silent conversation that just happened between you and Blondie over there," I said, grazing my lips over her ear. If I was going to sit with something uncomfortable in my pants, she was going to have to try to get some friction, too. My plan worked, as I noticed goose bumps appear on her neck and she shifted ever so slightly sitting next to me. Her eyes fluttered closed for a second and a smile crept across her full lips.

Emmett got up from the seat he was sharing with Rose and began looking through Bella's movies, while the cow races continued.

"Bella, you know you have my favorite movies here, right? _Caddyshack_? All of the _Aliens_ flicks? The _Predator_ flicks? But it is sacrilege to have them in such close proximity to _Pride and Prejudice_, _Pretty in Pink_ and _The Breakfast Club_."

"I'm not defending my library to you. Sometimes a girl needs romance. Sometimes she needs blood and guts. But I'll have you know I can quote _Caddyshack_ with the best of them! A pond would be good for you."

After a few minutes of reliving Rodney Dangerfield's wit, Bella got up and announced that it was time for dessert. I followed behind her, taking a ribbing from Jasper as I watched her ass swish in her lovely blue dress.

"It was really nice of you to get the ice cream from Camille, Bella," I said, opening the drawer, looking for utensils.

"Next one over," she said, giving me a smile and directing me to the correct drawer. Her eyes were bright and I saw a bit of blush. I wondered what was going through her mind to trigger it. "I had already planned on making a vanilla cake, but when Camille said you never eat any other kind of ice cream, I needed to alter my plans a bit."

"That's sweet, Bella," Alice said. I shot her a look, and she just rolled her eyes at me. "I suppose she told you how Mom was a frequent flyer in the shop when she was pregnant with us!"

"You always hear about cravings with pregnant ladies. I wonder if it's really like they say it is?" Emmett pondered aloud.

"Good lord," Rose said with a giggle. "Can you imagine what kind of cravings Emmett would have if he were pregnant? He'd want sprinkles on his pork chops!"

I laughed. "Bella, Emmett puts sprinkles on his yogurt. He puts sprinkles on his pancakes. When he was little, the only way Mom could get him to take medicine was if he took it with a spoonful of sprinkles."

"I don't know, Edward, wasn't it Mary Poppins…" Bella began.

Emmett then broke out into song in his best falsetto Julie Andrews singing "A Spoonful of Sugar." He flitted, if flitted was a word you could use to describe what Emmett was doing, around the kitchen, a spot-on performance of the scene we had watched countless times as a kid. It was fucking hilarious. Bella was wiping tears from her eyes.

Bella served us all a slice of mint chocolate chip heaven. I recognized the Grasshopper cookies she insisted on buying as the crust, and as I practically inhaled my piece, I groaned.

"Don't tell Camille, but you just improved on my favorite," I said.

"Please, eat, eat! I really don't want any leftovers," Bella said, mainly to me and Alice, since we had finished before everyone else. Alice wasn't shy, placing another sizable piece on each of our plates.

"Good news, people," Rosalie said after wiping some whipped cream from her nose that Emmett was kind enough to deposit there. "We confirmed the date for our wedding with the resort on Maui. It is going to be at sunset on the beach. The resort has enough cottages to accommodate us all, so I booked six cottages for five days, then Emmett and I will be continuing on at a private island for ten more days."

Alice was bouncing on Jasper's lap. "Rose, that sounds fantastic! I can't wait to see pictures!"

"They're in your inbox, babe. Bella, I'll forward them to you as well. You'll just die when you see the beach!"

"Hawaii is in my list," Bella said. "What details are left?"

The girls then dove into a discussion about the resort, the photographers, the food and the flowers. It was funny to see the usually cool, reserved Rose get all giddy about marrying my brother. He just sat happily at her side, occasionally touching her arm or her hair. Jasper and Alice shared a few meaningful glances when Rose talked about the romance of it all.

Bella placed her hand on my knee and squeezed. I turned my head and was rewarded as she leaned into my shoulder, my nose becoming buried in her hair as I nuzzled her ear. I pulled away and brought a forkful of ice cream cake to Bella's perfect mouth. As her lips closed around the fork, a sensual act I watched with a rapid pulse, I heard the sound of a fake digital camera click. I looked up to see Alice with a wide smile on her face. She then took a picture of Rose and Emmett.

"I have to get copies of those pictures you took of Emmett and Jasper, Bella. It was hilarious watching him and Jasper make such a fuss over the placement of chocolate and sprinkles!" Rose said. "It was like watching an episode of 'Ace of Cakes' or something."

"You, woman, are just jealous of my attention to detail. Never before in the history of ice cream confections has there been such a thing of beauty. It was almost a shame that we had to eat it," Emmett carried on.

"Enough, Em. We know it was all about the gadgets. You see, Bella, my brother loves gadgety goodness. I think you have opened a whole new avenue for him with the Kitchen Aid mixer," Alice said. "And now that Jasper has a partner in crime with regard to your mutual obsession with your infomercial treasures, you have solidified a place in our group," she said with a wink.

"Well, I think I should teach the boys how to cook, using as many gadgets as possible. It's the least I can do, living in a place with such a fantastic kitchen. Really, Emmett. This kitchen was made for entertaining," Bella said with a twinkle in her eyes.

"Thank goodness I was renovating a house and not an apartment building! The place is yours as long as you need it, Bella. I mean it," Emmett said with a big smile.

"Seriously, Emmett, I think that this is my dream house. I never want to leave!" Bella said, her comment cutting me two ways. Emmett looked at me as my emotions flickered across my face.

"I think that everything happens for a reason, Bella. It'll be a blast having you around Forks. Things will definitely be a lot livelier, don't you think, Edward?" Rose said, a knowing smile on her face.

"I think you're right," I said, giving Bella a smile and a squeeze on her shoulders.

"Well, I'm glad that I have fallen in with such a great crowd, even though Alice and Jasper push the envelope of decency when it comes to riding livestock," Bella chuckled as she bumped into Alice, who was still sitting on Jasper's lap.

"Watch it, Swan. Don't mess with my groove. I know secrets now!" Alice said, eyebrows waggling.

Emmett looked at his watch. "Well, guys, Rosie and I have to hit the road. We have an 8AM meeting tomorrow to look at a property. On to the next project now that we've finished this one up."

"Yeah, we need to get going, too. Alice and I are going to do some work at the shop early tomorrow so that she can take a few days off soon for some wedding planning," Jasper said.

Emmett coughed and said something that sounded suspiciously like "pussy whipped," while Jasper took a slow swing at Emmett's chest. "Watch it, Mr. Private Island," Jasper warned.

I hugged Rosalie and my twin goodnight. Alice gave me an extra squeeze and said, "Good times lie ahead. Don't be afraid to put yourself out there." I raised my eyebrow at her and she smacked me lightly. "You know what I mean, you pervert!"

Bella sent her guests off with hugs and promises to see them at my parents' place on Sunday morning. She shut the front door and turned to me, wrapping her arms around my waist and tucking her head under my chin.

"Well, I think that went well," Bella said with a squeeze to my middle. "Your brother is a nut!" she said, pulling away, but weaving her hand into mine.

We walked toward the kitchen. "You really have only seen the tip of the iceberg, you know. One of the things I love about Emmett is his honesty. I get a feeling that what he says is exactly what he is thinking. There is minimal filtering going on there."

Bella smiled. "Rose and Alice are so welcoming. We were like little girls playing dress up earlier," she added with a laugh.

"Uh, yeah, about that…what gives with all the secret looks between you and Rosalie before? Was I missing out on something?"

"Nuh uh, Cullen. Not a chance. Girl talk is a sacred thing. Those girls have some astounding insight into you. That's all."

My eyes widened and I felt the need to pounce on Bella, looking all sexy standing by the door in her swishy blue dress and wood-producing librarian look. "What kind of things did they say, Isabella?" I asked with a lower, more sinister tone to my voice.

Bella let out a squeak and ran around the island away from me. As I gave chase, she squealed louder and ran upstairs. I nearly caught her when she reached her room, but she launched herself onto her bed and feebly tried to protect herself with the shield of a down pillow.

"What were you girls talking about?" I asked as I approached, surprised at how the air had quickly become so sexually charged in an instant. Somewhere in the more evolved area of my brain, I realized that the hum of sexual tension had been present since we met. Never before had I truly _wanted_ anyone like the way I wanted Bella. It was wickedly perfect.

"Your car?"

"Try again," I said as I prowled-yes fucking _prowled-_like a predator toward my prey. At this point, I figured I was working on only 25% evolved brain matter. The rest was caveman instinct and my dick. It was pathetic.

"Your fantastic sense of humor?" Bella said in a half whisper, creeping with her pillow shield to the top of the bed. When her progress was halted by the headboard, her eyes flew open and she giggled.

"Nope. Tell me about this supposed insight into me, Bella," said smoothly as I sat on the bed and moved to a position where I was nearly on top of her, between her legs which had fallen teasingly apart, her dress hitched up over her knees but covering her center.

"We may have discussed a few alterations to my look tonight that might have a certain, um, effect on you," she teased, adjusting her glasses and batting her lashes.

"I have to say that the addition of these," I said, carefully removing the black frames, "to your wardrobe has done wonders for the naughty thoughts I have about you, Bella." I put her glasses onto her nightstand.

"Edward, you have only known for a few hours that I even wear glasses. You're fantasizing already?" she asked, ridding herself of the pillow and bringing one of her hands to rest at the nape of my neck. The touch alone was enough to give me shivers and solidify the situation in my pants. How did she so quickly start to turn the tables on me?

"Bella, I have only known you for a total of a few _days_, but that is long enough for me to know what I want. I have been fantasizing about you all week. I am not going to try to sort it out in my head any more. I know your time here is limited," I said, watching the playful look in her eye flicker to something sadder for a moment, "so I'm not going to waste time. I want to spend as much time with you as you'll allow. There's no shame in me saying that I'm smitten with you, Ms. Swan." I was on my knees between her legs, her hand continuing to caress my neck. I placed my hand on her cheek, stroking her full lower lip with my thumb.

"Are you looking to court me, Dr. Cullen?" Bella asked with a smirk, whatever sadness that surfaced moments ago gone.

"Oh, I am," I said, leaning in, kissing her softly. Her lips parted with the softest of sighs as her hand gave a slight tug on the hair at the back of my head.

"Being that we're under some time constraints, though, I'm willing to grant you some leeway and speed up the process, I think," Bella said. Her grin was one of the most tempting things I had ever seen.

"An accelerated courtship? Do tell, Bella. I'm most intrigued," I said to her, moving my legs around so that we sat facing one another, our centers close, and our legs straddling each other's hips. The new position was intimate, but playful, too, much like everything else we had shared to date.

"I know we talked about taking things slower, and I'm not quite ready for sex tonight, but I am not opposed to you doing, say, this," Bella said, taking my hand and placing it on her breast. I smiled at her and squeezed gently, feeling her hard nipple under my thumb. She took my other hand and placed it on her thigh. "And I wouldn't be opposed to having your hands wandering about below my waist, either."

I felt like a kid in a candy store. I'm surprised that I didn't drool like an idiot and stutter, "B-b-b-boobies!!!"

I watched as she brought her hands to my chest, tracing my muscles with an insistent hand.

"Would you mind terribly if I removed your shirt? I'd be happy to reciprocate," she said in a shy voice, biting her lip. I raised my hand to help her with the buttons when she brushed my hands away. "Let me. I have had my fantasies, too, you know."

I let out a groan as she steadily undid the buttons and slid the shirt off my shoulders, caressing me as she went. She managed to get the shirt from my arms, only to give a slight pout when faced with my grey undershirt. Without further hesitation, she began pulling the cotton from the waistband of my shorts. Her hands hit my skin and I couldn't stand the sweet torture anymore. I quickly pulled my shirt over my head and discarded it to the floor.

"In a hurry?" Bella asked.

"God, you are driving me crazy," I said as I reached to cup her face and bring her lips to mine. I had to taste her. She opened her mouth to me, and I couldn't believe that I could get turned on by just a kiss. Bella's hands roamed over my bare chest as we continued to explore each other's mouth. She nipped at my bottom lip as I tried to pull away.

"Mmmm, I believe you said something about reciprocation? You have far too little of your skin available for me to taste, Bella," I said as I ran my hands up her thighs. My fingers brushed against her panties at her hips and my thumbs stroked her inner thighs. Her brown eyes were on fire as she reached around and pulled down the zipper of her dress. I ran my hands up her ribcage under the loosened garment, gathering it to pull it over her head. Bella then lifted her arms, my eyes never leaving her body as her breasts clad in a lacy blue bra appeared as I undressed her. I tossed her dress to the side with my shirt and took in the sight before me. Bella sat in her bra and matching lacy panties, and I was afraid that my words would fail me.

"You are exquisite," I breathed as I reached to touch her silken skin. It was hard for me to comprehend the beauty that was in front of me. She gave me a shy smile and wound her fingers into the hair at the back of my head, pulling our bodies together. As our chests came into contact with each other, skin on skin, she moaned and rubbed her pussy against my cock. It was too much and not enough at the same time. Bella then shifted her weight and pushed me onto my back.

"I think you'd be a heck of a lot more comfortable if you lost these shorts, Edward," she said, and with amazing agility, undid the buttons of my fly. I raised my hips and took off the offending garment. My cock strained against the black boxer briefs I had on.

Not only had I just had sex twice in my entire life, my experience in base running was, sadly, very limited as well. And there was a small part of me that was terrified that Bella would find it a turn off if I was a fumbling idiot when it came to pleasing her. I knew that I had some fantastic raw potential. I wasn't that much of a dolt. As I placed my hands on her lacy ass cheeks, I decided that it was best to be up front with Bella about the whole situation.

"Bella," I said, lowering my mouth to the tops of her breasts and giving her light kisses and licks, "will you tell me what makes you feel good? Show me where to touch you?" I was not even remotely prepared for her response.

She put a hand on either side of my face and forced me to look at her. "Are you fucking kidding me? Are you trying to kill me right here?"

I was speechless. Her eyes were staring into mine, the intensity unreal. Did I fuck this up? Was she angry or upset? Then the corners of her mouth turned upward and she parted her lips, biting down her lower one and ground her core onto my erection. I could feel the wetness from her seeping through the delicate blue fabric.

"Edward, it is every woman's dream to have a man ask what pleases them," Bella said in a low, husky voice. "I absolutely cannot wait to show you what I like, as long as you will do the same for me."

I smiled and breathed a sigh of relief. "I don't think that I'm a terribly picky man. If you read my cock the phone book right now, I'm pretty sure that you'll be able to get me off."

Bella moved us so that we were lying on our sides, facing each other. "I have ideas that will put the phone book to shame, Edward," she said, cupping my length. "I mean, I don't have that much experience, either, but wouldn't you say that one of the perks of our job is the intimate knowledge of anatomy?"

Fuck. Fuuuuck. _I can't come yet. I can't come yet. I can't come yet._

Bella then took one of my hands and placed it on her mound. I gently slid my fingers under the waistband of her panties. My middle finger touched her clit, causing Bella to quietly moan and curl her head into my shoulder. I slid my fingers down between her folds and nearly fell apart at the wetness I encountered. Gathering some of her juices, I went back to her clit and began stroking her in slow circles. She bucked her hips into my hand, encouraging me.

Bella was lying on her right side. I rolled her over slightly onto her back, pulling her right arm over her head while continuing to tease her clit with my other hand. Her free hand snaked around my neck and she pulled my mouth down to hers greedily. I couldn't help but grind my cock into her hip as I moved my middle finger down to her entrance, letting my thumb brush against her sensitive nub.

"Yes," Bella panted as I slid my finger into the slick tightness of her pussy. My thumb continued with lazy circles on her clit while I found a rhythm of stroking in and out of her pussy. I added a second finger and massaged her g-spot (thank you, Dr. Brady and anatomy class), and I almost came unhinged as Bella continued to moan into my mouth, grinding her core on my hand. Any concerns I had about my ability to please her vanished in that moan.

Bella's nails scraped the back of my scalp as her eyes locked with mine. "I've been thinking about your hands on me, _in_ me, all week, Edward. I look at your fingers and imagine-"

"Imagine what? Imagine them in your tight pussy?" I finished.

"Yes,_ fuck,_ right there. That's the spot!" she said loudly, throwing her head back against the pillow. Her hair was fanned out from her head, her mouth open and breathing hard.

I began to speed up the rhythm of my thumb and fingers, mesmerized at the sight before me. Bella's skin began to take on the most beautiful blush, starting in her cheeks and inching down to her heaving chest. Her hips rose to meet the thrusts of my fingers, and I was rewarded with Bella's chants of her impending orgasm.

"So good. So good, Edward! I'm so close, aaah, please!"

"Let go, love. Let me feel you. Look at me, Bella," I said in a voice so full of need that it surprised me. "Let me make you come."

"God, yes!" she shouted as her eyes fixed on mine. The walls of her pussy clenched on my fingers and I felt her legs begin to shake with the pleasure that I was able to give her. Her incoherent cries did wonders for my ego, not to mention my cock.

As she came down from her high, a smile crept across her face and she raised her mouth to mine for a kiss, her tongue entering my mouth without any hesitation. Then she reached down and brought my hand, covered in her wetness, up to our mouths where we both licked and sucked my fingers. I'm quite certain that my eyes rolled into the back of my head as I groaned.

"Fuck, Bella, you taste fantastic!" I said as I continued to kiss her.

"Mmm. Well, I don't think I have ever come that hard. It was incredible!" she breathed, still slightly winded. She began to run her nails lightly over my chest, stopping at my nipple. Bella tugged slightly eliciting a surprised groan from me. I never imagined that having my nipples played with could feel so good. She continued down my chest to my abdomen, below my belly button and stopped at the waistband to my underwear.

"Is this OK?" she asked, sliding her fingers just under the elastic. I nodded mutely. Of course it was OK. She gave me a wicked little smile as she pushed my boxer briefs down over my hips. My erection sprang free and I can't say I was without pride as I saw her eyes go wide. I was hung. Knowing that Bella liked what she saw felt fucking awesome. Her tiny hand wrapped around me, and her thumb gently swirled around the tip, spreading the fluid that had come from it. I let out a hiss of pleasure as her fingers tightened around me. She shot me a look of concern.

"Sorry, it's just been a really long time since anyone else has touched me, embarrassingly enough," I said, looking up through my lashes, a slight blush tingeing my cheeks.

"Oh, well, is this all right, then?" she began.

"Fuck yes! God, having you touch me feels fucking amazing! Really! I just don't know how long I'm gonna last," I babbled as her hand gripped me and began a slow stroke down and back up.

"Well, then, Edward, we will have to work on your endurance, don't you think?" she asked with a wink. I wove my hands into her hair at the back of her head and brought her in for a slow, languid kiss.

Bella broke the kiss after a bit and smiled. Rolling backward, she reached over to her nightstand drawer and pulled out a small bottle of lube. I swear my eyes about popped out of their head as I imagined the reasons why she might need that at her bedside, and she just gave me a knowing smirk. My dick twitched and grew harder at the thought of her touching herself as I just had. She placed her slick hand back on me and it was almost immediately too much. "Fuuuuck," I groaned as she worked her hand down my entire length, a long, slow squeeze.

"Do you like that? I'm looking forward to having your big cock deep inside me Edward. I know it's going to feel fantastic. You are so huge, so can you just imagine how that will feel?" Naughty Bella whispered in my ear as she stroked, the tightness of her grip mimicking the tightness of her pussy. I could only moan in response.

Bella kept the slow pace for a minute or two, just twisting and swirling, squeezing and releasing. As she began picking up the pace, I started to breathe heavier, placing my mouth on her neck to give her skin there some attention. Rolling me onto my back, Bella pulled herself onto my chest a little, placing one of her legs between mine. Then she increased her speed even more.

"Mmmm, Bella," I rasped, "getting close, so close…"

"Then let go, babe. Let me make _you _feel good now," she whispered. Her mouth found my neck, my collarbone and finally my nipple again. This time, she licked circles around it instead of squeezing it. All of the sensations came crashing in on me. I felt my balls tighten and the tingling pleasure begin when Bella sucked hard on my nipple and then bit it. It was the last thing my body needed to propel me over the edge. I shouted as my orgasm took over me, spilling over Bella's hand and my stomach.

After coming for what seemed like forever, I laid there on Bella's bed, completely spent. She rested her head on my shoulder and listened as my breathing returned to normal.

"I have no words for how good I feel," I said, smiling sheepishly at the beautiful woman who had just made me see stars.

"I'm glad," she said with a grin. "I can honestly say the same."

I looked to the nightstand and fortunately, there was a box of tissues sitting there. I grabbed a few and did a cursory cleaning of the jizz all over me. It was a potentially awkward moment, but even wiping up my spunk, I felt nothing but familiarity with this woman, if you can believe that. I smiled to myself.

"Something funny, Dr. Cullen?" Bella asked, holding her hand out for a few tissues.

"Not at all," I replied.

"Then come with me and I'll get us a couple of washcloths," she said, scooting off the bed and walking toward the bathroom. We cleaned up and wandered back to her bed. She had pulled down the covers and hopped in, patting the space beside her. I slid in and wrapped my arms around her. She tucked herself into my side as if she were made to fit there. I don't know if it was the post-orgasmic bliss or what, but I realized that life had been forever altered for me. I knew that I would be classifying life into two parts: before Bella and after Bella.

"It's kinda late. Would it freak you out if I said that I'd like you to stay tonight?" Bella asked.

I kissed the top of her head and chuckled. "No. Would it freak you out if I told you that I didn't want to leave?"

"Not at all. Hey, Edward?"

"Yes, Bella?"

"Thank you, um, for that, um, before, you know?" Bella stuttered.

"Bella, why the sudden shyness? It's very cute, but quite different from the girl who was telling me all sorts of naughty things a few minutes ago."

Bella smacked my chest playfully. "Shut it, Cullen. I guess you just bring out the naughty girl in me," she said with a laugh.

"That's good to know. Note to self: encourage Naughty Bella to come out and play more."

Bella tickled my side and I hugged her tighter. She then gave up and let out an enormous yawn.

"Hey, Bella?" I said.

"Yes, Edward?" she giggled.

"You're tired. Go to sleep. I'll be here in the morning."

"I'm glad," she said with a squeeze. "Good night."

"Good night, love."

**Fic recs…got to my profile faves for the links…**

**On FF:**** Illegal Contact by GreenEyedGirl17, The Naked Guy Upstairs by AngryBadgerGirl, Desiderata by kimpy0464, My Yes, My No by LolaShoes, **

**On Twilighted:**** Canzoni D'Amore by AddyBrownEyes, Orange by fallenflowers, Tangled Web by m7707, I Don't Exist by Twilight4rachael1042. I read waaaay too much!**

**Thanks so much for your reviews, and for reading and putting me on your faves and alerts! Please let me know what you think, if you have time. **

**PS…if there are any travel nurses out there, please pm me…I have a few questions! Thanks!!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Welcome to Chapter 8! Thanks so much for sticking with me. I love hearing what you think and seeing people from all over the world putting this little story on their alerts! You can usually find me up to no good on twitter **** aciepey.**

**Many, many thanks to my girls, heatherdawn, myheroin, and twisherry. They keep my shit straight. **

**Also, my roomie may be reading this…and omg I am ten shades of embarrassed. Just sayin'.**

_**Disclaimer: Twilight and its universe are the property of Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement intended.**_

**Previously, our two horndogs were doin' some base runnin'. **

_**Bella**_

There was a warm, fantastic-smelling man next to me in bed, and I wasn't dreaming. A smile crept across my face as my consciousness won out over dreamland. That warm, fantastic-smelling man was Edward, and boy, did he feel good lying there next to me.

I looked at my alarm clock and saw that it was only 6:15. _Ugh! Why did I have to wake up when I had the opportunity to sleep in snuggled in the arms of the fantastic specimen of man currently softly snoring with his nose buried in my neck?_ I shifted a little, and Edward's strong arms held me close. I can't say that my girlie parts didn't tingle. _Damn._

I didn't think that there were enough superlatives in the English language to describe how much I enjoyed myself last night. Dinner with the gang was so much fun, the indoor sports afterward couldn't have been better. Could it really be true that once you found your true love that you'd just know? Because I was feeling dangerously close to knowing.

Was it even possible to define what it was drawing me to Edward? Just saying 'everything' was juvenile and inadequate at the same time. His eyes were truly a window to his soul. In them I saw his compassion, charm and his playful nature, not to mention his sensuality. Physically, the man was fuck-hot! Handsome with a body that I could stare at and want to devour forever. His personality was everything I could imagine ever wanting in a man. I enjoyed watching Edward at work, seeing how he interacts with the patients. He chose the right career path as a healer. Not only was he able to fix what was broken, but the patients were at ease with him, which was that intangible quality that cannot be learned. It needs to come from within.

I looked again at the man I held close to me. He had turned me from a woman, who was relatively content with her lack of a sex life into a needy, feisty woman constantly craving the nearness of him. We had taken a big step last night. Thinking about how his fingers coaxed the best orgasm of my life out of me set my need off all over again. I raised my fingers to his jaw and traced a path to the back of his head to the soft hair there. In his slumber, he turned his head into my hand with a soft, satisfied sigh. His lips curved into a small smile, delicate and delicious. I couldn't resist. I leaned in and placed a kiss on his mouth, lingering a bit. Edward let out a quiet groan and tightened his arms around me.

"Good morning, beautiful," he said, against my lips.

"Sorry to wake you, but you _do_ look irresistible. I had to kiss you."

"I guess I can let it slide this time. Be warned, though. Next time there will be repercussions," he said with a gravelly growl. He then rolled on top of me, making me squeal a bit as he pressed his morning wood onto me. "Say hello to my little friend," he chuckled.

"We both know there's nothing little about your friend, Edward," I laughed back. He leaned down and captured my lips in a kiss I'm sure I would have felt in my toes if my body had let the feeling get past my pussy. This man had some kind of power over my parts, and I raised my hips up to meet his delicious erection. His green eyes gazed at me with such intensity that I could only handle a few moments of his stare. I was afraid that he might see how desperately I wanted him in my own eyes. No sense in scaring him away.

After some very serious kissing and groping, Edward moved so that he was curled into my side and he was resting his head on my belly. He let out what sounded like a very content sigh.

"I feel good about the fact that everyone knows that we're seeing each other. I mean, not like we should keep it a secret or anything," Edward said.

"I know what you mean. It is nice that everyone is so accepting of how fast this hit us, you know?"

Edward nodded his head against me, both tickling and turning me on at the same time. "Well, in my family, there is no such thing as a long courtship. My parents, my grandparents, Alice and Jasper, it was all pretty much an instant attraction. Emmett and Rose are the exceptions, but I suspect the attraction was just as immediate. They are both pretty stubborn, though," he laughed.

I heard what Edward said. I really did, but the way his head was resting on me, his voice practically resonating straight to my clit, was causing such a commotion in my panties that I let out an involuntary moan.

"Love, are you all right?" Edward asked with concern as he turned his head upward to look at me.

"I think I'm better than all right. You are doing all sorts of things to my bits and pieces with your voice. I'm not sure how much longer I will be able to control myself," I said with a squeak.

"I'm all for you losing control, Bella. Are you willing to tutor me in how to please you more? Say, with my mouth?"

_Fuck!_ What's a girl supposed to say to that? I was woefully inexperienced in the oral arena, both giving and receiving. But this was Edward, and if he was half as good with his mouth as he was with his fingers, I was going to be a very lucky woman.

"Um, well, nobody has ever…" I started to say, looking everywhere but at him.

"Well, neither have I," he said. I raised my eyebrows in disbelief. "What? I was far too focused on my studies to get very involved with anyone. I'm a bit of a novice, but if you're willing to let me come up on the learning curve, then, I'd love to taste you, Bella," Edward said in way that could only be described as pure sex, looking up at me through his lashes, his fingers hooked onto the sides of my panties.

"Far be it from me to deny you a learning opportunity, Dr. Cullen," I giggled, my apprehension dissolving as he slid my panties down my hips. I rose up so that he could slip them the rest of the way down. When I did, he placed a sweet kiss, full of promise, on my mound and then peeled the lacy garment down to my ankles, off of me and then quickly tossed them onto the floor.

Edward situated himself between my legs as he gently nudged my thighs apart, giving my clit a reassuring touch that sent shivers of want straight through me.

"So beautiful, so wet," he murmured as he looked upon my center and then into my eyes. He then turned his head to the side and began to caress my upper thighs with wet licks and kisses. The anticipation of his tongue and mouth on my clit and pussy was making me squirm without me even realizing it.

"Is this okay?" Edward breathed, looking up at me with raised eyebrows.

"Oh, definitely, I am just not very good with being teased."

Edward then ran his nose along the opposite thigh oh-so-slowly. "This teases you? Would you rather have my mouth here?" he asked, dragging his finger from my clit down to my dripping sex. I couldn't help but buck my hips at the sensation.

"Mmm, please," I groaned. "Please, don't tease me anymore."

As Edward skimmed his lips across my flesh, ever closer to my desire, I fluttered at the sensation of his hot breath. Then he tasted me, flattening out his tongue and licking me in one long, slow stroke from my entrance to my clit. The feeling was electric, intensified by his groan as his mouth captured my throbbing bundle of nerves.

"Fuck!" I practically screamed as he alternated between licks and nips at my clit. "Edward, don't stop, whatever you are doing. Aah, gonna make me..." I said almost incoherently.

"Mmm, not yet, Bella," Edward said, moving his thumb to my clit and letting his tongue teasingly enter inside. "I want to taste how much you want this," lick, "want me."

The feeling was so intense. His scruffy face on the sensitive skin of my thighs was providing the perfect foil to the pleasure his mouth was giving. His tongue found my clit again and a long finger was inserted into me, providing the most wonderful pressure on my g-spot. My masturbatory skills were pretty good, unfortunately, due to constant use. I knew that g-spot orgasms, for me, were elusive at best. Edward had me so turned on, that I knew this orgasm was going to be epic. And I was right. I felt him slide another finger in.

"Oh, right there, Edward. Your fingers, right there! Shit! Feels…ungh… so damn good!"

"Right there, Bella?" he asked, rubbing more forcefully as I threw my head back on the pillow, the coiling in my abdomen winding tighter and tighter. My hands were frenzied, grabbing the sheets, clenching, unclenching as the feeling built. Edward's mouth continued to lick, suck and nip. One of my hands wound its way down to his head, threading itself into his soft bronze locks. My other hand began to pinch one of my nipples. My world was spinning out of control, lick by delicious lick.

"Let go, Bella. Let me hear how I make you feel," Edward rasped. I looked down at him just long enough to see that his green eyes were darkened, just like in my shower fantasy. That was all it took, and I began to fall over the edge.

"Edward! Oh God, oh GOD! Yessss!" My whole body coiled in sweet rapture. I may have been screaming so loud that I missed his groans.

Edward continued to stroke me gently as I came down from my high. I was shaking and sweating, barely able to string together a meaningful sentence. A cavewoman-like grunt was all I was able to utter as he asked how his first "pleasing Bella" lesson went.

"That good?" he chuckled as he brought himself up to my face. I kissed his lips, swollen from the passion and moaned. Edward skimmed his nose to my ear and whispered, "I love that you can taste yourself on my mouth." Hearing him say that almost made me come again.

As I lay sprawled on the bed, Edward rested on his elbow, our legs all tangled up together. I felt a smile creep across my face.

"Still smiling, Swan? You flatter me."

"Oh, you have no idea," I began, shifting to my side to face him. I trailed my hand down his side to the waistband of his boxer briefs. "That was, without a doubt, the best orgasm of my life. You earned that smirk that you are wearing, Cullen."

Edward brushed my hair over my shoulder and brought his large hand to rest on my cheek. "I might be smirking, but you are beautiful when you come, Bella," he said as he gently ran his thumb across my lower lip. I captured it in my mouth, gently sucking on it and caressing it with my tongue. Our eyes locked on each other as I continued to lick his thumb. My hand caressed his length through the thin cotton of his underwear. I then rolled us so that I was on top of him, lacing our hands together over his head and me straddling his hips as he crashed his mouth to mine.

"I can still taste myself on you," I whispered as I broke the kiss. Edward groaned, grabbing my hips and moving them in a slow circle against his cock, the friction good, but definitely nowhere near enough. I rested my hands on his chest and began to place open mouthed kisses on his neck, licking my way to his nipple. I never thought of a man's nipple as an erogenous zone before, but Edward's carnal response to the attention that my tongue and teeth gave his tiny peaks left his excitement unquestionable. I felt the weight of his hand on the nape of my neck as his fingers coursed through my hair holding my mouth in place prolonging my teasing. Mumbled curses fell from his lips as our eyes locked, eliciting me to bite down roughly while at the same time squeezing his cock through the fabric. I loved learning his body, knowing that I was making him feel as good as he had just made me feel.

My mouth abandoned his satisfied nipple and my tongue drew a path down his chest and abs dropping gentle but wet kisses along the way. When my lips were finally met with the final barrier to what I needed most, I hooked my fingers into the waistband of his boxers.

"I want you in my mouth, Edward. I _need_ to taste you," I begged, completely swept away when met with the longing of his deep pools staring back at me as I positioned myself between his muscular thighs.

"Please don't feel like you have to, Bella," he began.

I licked my bottom lip and smiled. "Rest assured, there is nothing in this world that I want right now more than my mouth wrapped around your cock, Edward.

Intimacy with Mike consisted of, in retrospect, sloppy make out and groping sessions, and mainly sex where he got off and I rarely ever did. Taking that into consideration, why I was so hurt when we split was beyond me. Jake and I, while we didn't do it like bunnies, had plenty of encounters, most good, many awkward, and all mutually caring, but lacking the needed passion.

The look I saw in Edward's eyes was raw desire. It was everything that was lacking in my previous relationships. Being with Edward was instinctual. From the moment we saw each other in the call room last week, this crazy, wonderful, and at times scary draw to him consumed me. The pure, unadulterated lust in his eyes mirrored my own.

"Let me help you with those," I said as I began to pull his boxer briefs from his body. Edward lifted his hips in an effort to help. I slid them down his legs, tossing them to the side. The sight before me was beautiful. There was no other word for it. Edward had a glorious cock. I could not mask my own physical reaction to the visual before me as a blush spread over my flesh, and when our eyes met my lips curled into a smile and my hand reached to feel the velvety hardness.

Edward raised himself onto his elbows. I knew this was so that he could have the perfect view of the pleasure he was about to receive, and this knowledge sent a chill pulsing through my entire body. I stretched up with my left hand and gently scratched his chest as I bent my head toward his erection. I let the instinct that ruled my body whenever I was around him take over as I opened my mouth to taste the pre-cum that waited for me. I had friends who had argued about the taste of a man. Those who did not like it certainly had not tasted the magnificence that was Edward. As I wrapped my lips around his head and let my tongue dance around it, I heard Edward moan. His sounds encouraged me to take him further into my mouth, squeezing him gently near his base as I looked up at him. Edward's eyes were dark, hooded, making me wet all over again. I brought my mouth back up to the tip, concentrating my efforts on the sensitive skin there. Edward shifted to sit up, gently grasping the back of my head.

"Shit, Bella, that feels so fucking good," Edward said in a low voice. "Your mouth, so beautiful," he rasped.

I was certainly enjoying my new experience. Hearing his sexy words fall from his lips caused me to moan, which in turn made him tighten his hold on my head, threading his fingers through my hair. It was a fantastic sort of discomfort that served to heighten my arousal. The cycle of sensations we were having seemed to drive us both wild.

And then the fucking doorbell rang.

We both froze, not aware if we had been a bit vocal in our explorations. Like a bad, X-rated sitcom, his cock popped from my mouth as we looked at each other.

"Who the _fuck_ would be here at…" I said, looking at my clock, "…7:30 on a Saturday?!"

I stood up and marched over to the window, near nudity be damned. I was pissed, even more so when I heard the heavy footsteps of my landlord on the porch and saw his red Jeep with the utility trailer being pulled behind it.

"Edward, I swear, there must be a knight in shining armor holding a pair of blue balls on the Cullen family crest to symbolize the cock-blocking that is your family's specialty."

Edward laughed, trying to stifle it. Neither of us was ready to face Emmett if he were to go all Ricky Ricardo on us, saying that we had some 'splainin' to do.

I pulled on a pair of yoga pants, commando, and a hoodie, putting on my game face and bouncing down the stairs.

"Good morning, Bella!" the gentle giant smiled, dimples blazing. Each Cullen had a gift, and Emmett's was his adorable dimples. And damnit, I found myself smiling when I really wanted to be in my bed, finishing what I had started with Edward.

"Nice mower, Emmett," I said, motioning to the push model that was loaded on the trailer. I looked toward the Jeep and was greeted with a friendly wave from Rosalie, her phone glued to her ear.

"Sorry about the early morning visit, but we are headed out to look at that other property and I thought I would drop this by for you. If you don't have time, I can swing by later and mow the yard. Or give Edward a call. I knocked on his door first, but he must be out for a run or something."

_Dear God: Please keep me from blushing. Just this once. I beg you to save me from the humiliation that will ensue if Emmett even suspects that his brother is upstairs. Thank you_.

I felt my cheeks redden and silently cursed my autonomic nervous system. _Thanks, God._

I politely ignored the comment, not offering if I had any knowledge as to the location of his brother and focused my attention on the red mower outside.

"Well, let's see what we're dealing with here," I said, moving to the trailer. "It's pretty easy, right? I pull the stringy thingy and it starts, then mow, right?"

"Technically speaking, yes," he said with a chuckle. "This is the safety bar thingy, which you have to have squeezed in order for the sharp blade thingy underneath to spin and cut the grass. Gas goes here. If you have any problems, give me or Eddie a call. He should be around, but he might just be sleeping. All those crazy hours you guys keep."

I smiled a secret smile and thanked Emmett as he unloaded the mower and pushed it toward the porch. "I should be able to conquer a few patches of grass. And I'm sure Dr. Cullen will turn up eventually."

Emmett smiled broadly. "Yes. He will. I'm fairly certain we will find him here a lot, Bella! See you later!" he called over his shoulder.

"Bye, guys," I said with a wave as I turned to go inside. As I shut the door behind me, I began laughing as I watched Emmett and Rose drive away.

"Coast is clear, Mr. Super Spy," I giggled as I returned up the stairs to my room. Edward was on the bed, his boxer briefs hiding what I wanted to see. He opened his arms widely and welcomed me back to bed.

"He sure knows how to ruin a moment, doesn't he?" Edward said with a laugh and a big squeeze. He tucked his face into the crook of my neck and held me for a moment.

"Yes, and I'm not convinced that he didn't suspect your whereabouts."

"Eh, no matter. Honestly, everyone will think what they want anyway. And I'm not ashamed that I spent last night and this morning pleasuring you, Bella." His voice was low and soft, its timbre doing things to my body, my heart, my soul. "But, I won't deny that I'd prefer longer lengths of privacy to explore what we have going on here, instead of all the interferences from well-meaning pixies and big brother bears."

Edward sat upright, turning me slightly so that we could face each other. He ran his fingers through my hair as he leaned in to place a small kiss on my lips.

"Bella, I want to tell you something, and I hope it doesn't make you run screaming from me," he said, smiling. "I haven't really dated much, just have never found anyone who held my interest. I feel like we were supposed to meet, though. I just feel like you really see me, in a way that only you could. And it totally sucks that you'll be leaving in November, but I don't want to think about that now. I want to enjoy what time we do have, and worry about the rest later."

Edward had just put into words all of the things I had been thinking over the past few days. Thank goodness he was brave enough to say it first.

"There's no chance I'll go running, Edward. I have never felt the kind of instant connection that I feel with you. It's hard to explain but these past few days have been so much fun and so natural, I feel as if everything in my past has led me here, as if somehow you were pulling me to you. But then I think that I really shouldn't question the path that led me here, you know?"

"I agree. So, we play it by ear?" Edward asked, raising his eyebrow at me.

"What?" I said, grabbing his ass. "Play with your rear?"

Edward groaned at my horrible joke and kissed me soundly. "Your horrible jokes might be a hard limit, Swan."

Heh heh heh. He said hard.

I sighed. "Yes, let's just have fun for now, and we can think about November later. I know it's textbook avoidance, but I've been denying myself for far too long. It's summer. We're young, and I have seven states left on my list to visit. I think I'm going to need a partner in crime, Cullen. You game?"

Edward's green eyes danced. "You bet. Let's sit down sometime soon and come up with a plan. What do you say?" he asked, hugging me close.

"Deal," I breathed, feeling almost overwhelmed by contentment. I would have been a hell of a lot more content if Emmett hadn't knocked on my door.

Edward and I snuggled while talking about our plans for the day. There was grass to be mowed, houses to be straightened, laundry to be done and naps to be had. Then I had a shift starting at 7PM. I was looking forward to working with Carlisle, but secretly hoped that we were slow so that I could float to OB. The experience with Janie made me consider midwifery, but I needed to do some more observation, more research.

At 8:30, Edward gave me a goodbye kiss that lasted until 8:45 and then he headed home. I may have mentioned something about resuming what was interrupted earlier, which earned me a playful swat on the ass. All in all, it was the end of a wonderful stretch of time spent with someone I knew would be in my life even after my time here was up.

_**Edward**_

I reluctantly headed home, knowing that I had things to do, and that she had things to do as well. I had told her that I would be by later to help with her yard, even though she insisted that she could manage. It felt good to help her with things. I knew that Bella was a pretty independent woman, a fact in which she had obvious pride, but the urge I had to take care of her was almost overwhelming. I accepted it for what it was: I was falling in love with Bella Swan.

Entering my house, it dawned on me what I needed to do. I passed by the pictures of my family, all the happy couples, and reached for the phone in my pocket.

"Hello, Edward! To what do I owe the pleasure of an early morning phone call?"

"Can't a guy just call his mom?" I asked, smiling as I sat down in a comfortable leather chair that my mother had chosen.

"Well, of course, dear, but it's early, and I figured you'd be sleeping in since it's your weekend off. What do you have planned? You are coming to brunch tomorrow, aren't you? Sometime around 10?"

"Yeah, I'll be there."

"Will you be bringing Bella?" she asked, the smile on her face so evident in her voice.

"I gather you have spoken to Alice?" I asked. I probably should have been annoyed, but I wasn't. I was actually looking forward to introducing Bella to my mother.

"She mentioned that Bella was new at the hospital, and that the two of you have been spending time together. She's a travel nurse, isn't she?"

"Yes. She has a six month assignment here in Forks," I answered, trying to keep the bit of sadness I felt out of my voice.

"Are you busy now? I just put a coffee cake in the oven. It'll be done by the time you get here," my mother offered. "We can catch up over a little breakfast."

That was just what I needed. The advice of my mother and some homemade goodness would go a long way to help me sort out what my brain and my heart were struggling to tell me. I quickly showered and dressed, then grabbed my keys, phone and wallet. I backed out of the driveway and headed toward my parents' place, slowing as I passed by Bella's. A smile crept across my face as thoughts of our time together invaded my brain. Without a thought, I gave two quick taps to the horn and continued on my way to see my mom.

On the ten minute ride to the outskirts of town, my head swirled with thoughts of confusion and my heart swam with feelings of completion. I knew that Bella and I had barely just scratched the surface, but my heart knew that I had found "The One." Nobody else could elicit this feeling, no matter how loudly my head screamed its caveats.

I hopped out of my car and climbed the three stairs onto the porch that was just off the kitchen of my childhood home. My mother was at the massive island in the center of the room, placing pieces of coffee cake onto familiar blue and white plates. Opening the door, I was hit with scents of comfort: cinnamon and coffee, flour and sugar.

"Edward, honey! It's so good to see you!" my mom said as she carried the plates to the breakfast table overlooking the expansive back yard. I enveloped her in a tight hug and kissed her cheek.

"Smells great, Mom. You sit, I'll get our drinks," I told her and brought the carafe of coffee and mugs to sit by the creamer and sugar on the table.

"Thank you. So what's bothering you? You look rather confused, dear."

I took a deep breath and slowly blew it out. "I think I'm in love, Mom. I met Bella on Tuesday, and here I sit on Saturday, completely confused but calmed at the same time. And to make matters more complicated, she'll be leaving after Thanksgiving."

Esme sat stirring her coffee, looking at me with soft eyes as I told her about Bella, how being around her makes me feel, and how I have never before had the pleasure of these emotions.

"It's the most natural, effortless thing, being with her, Mom. Is there really such thing as love at first sight?" I questioned, to her and to the universe as well.

"I believe in it. When I met your father, I knew that I would marry him. Your grandparents had a similar experience. And I don't need to remind you about Alice and Jasper," she joked.

"She feels it, too. Bella told me this morning that she has never felt so drawn to anyone. Neither have I. Tanya and I were friends for almost a year before we tried things romantically. I think she and I were just worried that we would end up with no one. We were each other's firsts, but the spark just wasn't there, you know?" I picked up my fork and took a bite of the cake before me.

"And you're wondering if the spark with Bella is enough?" my mother asked.

I shook my head. "I know that the, um, attraction is solid. She's so smart and funny. She knows what my career is like, the demands and expectations I have placed upon me. I guess I'm just a little rattled about the fact that this all just seems too easy."

"My dear boy," she said, "sometimes things are just that straight forward and easy. Your medical training has you solving puzzles all day long. This may be one of the simplest cases to walk through the door. A boy likes a girl, and that girl likes him back. She sounds like a delightful person, Edward. The way your face lights up while talking about her tells me that she is special."

"She is special. I've just never been in love, and in just a few days my life is completely upside down, in the best way possible. I don't think I can go back to the way things were a week ago," I said, running my hands through my hair. "It's like some dumb cliché, but I never even realized what I was missing until I met her."

Esme smiled brightly at me and laid her hand over mine, squeezing lightly. "Enjoy yourselves, then. Have faith that it will all work out if it is meant to be."

"But when she moves," I began.

"You'll stay in touch, visit on weekends, and make time for each other until you can be together again. Your father and I did it for a year when he began his undergraduate degree. It's difficult, but not impossible. Build an unshakable foundation with the time you have now. Let the details take care of themselves."

"Strong foundation, huh?"

"Absolutely. It will sustain you for the rest of your lives if done right. And another thing, when you find yourself doubting? Just remember that love isn't without risk. It is scary to lay yourself out in front of the person whose opinion means the most. But the benefits are beyond compare."

I sat for a moment, smiling. I knew that my mother was right. I _was _scared to death of opening my heart, only to be hurt, not specifically by Bella, but in general. I know that she had been hurt by her last boyfriend, and she might be feeling the same way. But I was also certain that she felt as I did, that to be away for too long was torture.

"Have you talked much about what will happen when she moves?" my mother asked.

"No, not really. I mean, I know she's headed for San Francisco for a three month assignment, and then she plans to take some time off before starting graduate school. We haven't really talked at all about what those plans mean with regard to our, uh, feelings. Everything is just so new. But I think it is on her mind, as well as mine. We'll sort it out. I just want to spend time with her," I said with a shrug of my shoulders and a smile.

"Edward, have faith. Meanwhile, make sure that she makes it to brunch in the morning. I can't wait to meet the woman who has cracked your heart's shell!"

I felt the heat creeping into my cheeks and sat back in my chair. "Well, Bella's working tonight with Dad, but she said that she'll be fine to come over with me after work. Is there anything we can bring?"

"Listen to you, already saying 'we!'"Esme chided, earning an eye roll from me as I stood and picked up the dirty dishes.

"See if I ever confide I you again," I laughed as I put the dishes into the dishwasher.

"Oh, now, I'm just teasing. You can expect much worse from Emmett, I'm sure. I can't think of anything that we might need. The weather looks iffy, but if we can, we'll eat outside on the patio. You might want to bring a sweater, just in case."

As we continued to talk about various projects that Mom was considering, my phone chimed with a new text alert. I looked to see who left it and smiled.

"Bella?" Esme said with a grin.

"Yes. Wonder what's up?" I said, opening the message.

_My lawn is mowed! Told you I wasn't a helpless damsel. –b_

I quickly typed out a reply.

_Well, I'll have to think of another way to impress you. How about lunch at my place? 11:30? –e_

Esme was wiping down the counter and taking a sideways glance at me as I smiled like a fool.

"How is she?" my mom asked in a bit of a sing-song voice.

I casually watched my phone, waiting for a reply from Bella. We both laughed at my feigned sense of calm, and I told Mom about how Emmett brought a lawnmower by so that she could take care of the near jungle-like conditions in her yard.

"And before you ask, yes I offered to take care of her yard when I mowed today, but she wanted prove she could do it herself." Mom nodded her head.

"She sounds like she's pretty independent. I guess she'd have to be, traveling the country on her own," Mom observed. My phone then chimed with another text.

_Sounds like a plan, but then I have to try to get a nap before I go in tonight. I'm tired, for some reason! ;) -b_

Smiling, I shot out my message.

_Great! Fatigue must be catchy, cuz I could use a nap, too! **waggles eyebrows** See u at 11:30 __ -e_

Looking at my watch, I discovered that I have less than ninety minutes before Bella would show up at my place, and I needed to grab some things at the grocery for lunch. I also had hoped to take care of my small lawn, but that was going to have to wait.

"Thanks for listening to me, Mom. You really did help ease my mind some," I said, wrapping her in a hug. "I can't wait for you to meet Bella. I think that you will really like her."

"I'm sure that I will. Between all of the accolades from Alice and your father, I already expected that she was a lovely person. To see how she has affected you tells me something, too," Mom said, patting my cheek.

"Well, I have to get going. Bella's coming over for lunch before she crashes for a nap this afternoon before work. I have to swing by the store to grab a few things."

"OK, dear. I'll see you tomorrow then? Please tell Bella that I'm looking forward to meeting her," Mom said sincerely.

"I will. And thanks again," I replied, squeezing her hand lightly. I left the house humming like a fool with a goofy grin on my face, and it felt fucking fantastic.

After grabbing a few things at the store, I headed home and began to make a grilled chicken salad for Bella and myself. As I finished assembling the salad and slicing the chicken I had just taken off the JennAire, I heard a knock at the door.

"Come on in, Bella!" I called loudly.

I heard the door open and close, then saw a cute brunette peek shyly around the corner.

"Hi! Thanks for asking me over," Bella said as she came to my side and placed a peck on my cheek.

"Don't mention it. I figured that since you cooked for us last night, this was the least I could do. Plus, I kind of wanted to see you before you headed in tonight," I said with a grin.

"Well, it smells wonderful, whatever you're making. You want me to get drinks for us?" she asked, looking toward the glass fronted cabinet where I kept the dishes.

"That'll be great," I told her. "I'll just have some ice water." I arranged the chicken on the salad greens and placed the plates on the island.

Bella placed two glasses of water beside the plates and sat down. "So, I was able to get the yard done fairly quickly, even though it was overgrown a bit," she said with a hint of pride. "I was even able to figure out how the bagger thingy on the mower worked. Now I have a neat lawn and a tidy little grass pile out back."

We both dug in to our lunches. I was a lot hungrier than I thought. "In the future, you can just bag the clippings and Emmett will take them to the area's yard waste facility. Or you can just take the bagger off and let the mower mulch the clippings," I said between bites.

"Mmm, this is really good!" she said after having a taste. "I'm gonna pretend I know what you are talking about with regard to mulching. I am fairly well versed in the physical act of mowing, but the actual science behind a pretty lawn? Not so much. But don't tell Emmett."

We both laughed. She was so adorable as her eyes lit up, a smile breaking across her lovely face. We continued to chat about little things, such as the neighborhood and the people who lived near us. Before I knew it, lunch was done, and after we had quickly rinsed the dishes, we both stood there, wondering what to do next.

"Um, I'll be right back," Bella said as she headed toward the bathroom. "Quit checking out my ass, Cullen!"

"Never! It's just too good!" I said with a laugh.

I found it fascinating, comforting, not to mention downright frightening how much I yearned to be near Bella. Over the years, caught up in school and my residency, I hadn't really allowed myself the luxury of a girlfriend. It didn't matter to me that I had never found someone that I clicked with. Tanya was the only woman, other than my sister and mother, with whom I felt close enough to share my secrets and dreams. Even after we figured out that we weren't soul mates, but rather best friends, I didn't feel a loss of the potential mate, and neither did she. Tanya had said that even though she loved me and would do anything for me, she begged, laughing, to never get naked in front of her again.

_"I think I will have to go see Riley and see if I can get a classmate discount for psychological services if we ever get naked again, Edward," Tanya laughed._

"_And I think you have to work on your bedside manner, Tanya! You wound me with your words!" I shot back in mock indignation. I knew what she spoke was the truth, though._

"_Come on, can you see us ten years down the road with the house, the kids, the cat?"_

_I let out a sigh. "I can, but I see us with different people, visiting each other on summer break. And a cat? I don't think so."_

_ Tanya let out a giggle. "I know. I sure hope you are right, though. About the different people? Not that you wouldn't be a fantastic husband, but you're like my brother. I feel like I may never find Mr. Right. How have we managed to isolate ourselves and not live life, Edward?"_

_ Her words stung a bit, their veracity like a wake-up call. "I'm not sure, T. It scares me, too. Your guy is out there somewhere, just like the future Mrs. Cullen. I think we just need to focus on getting through med school and our residency. Alice is a big believer in fate. We'll know when it happens." _

_ "Ah, the all-knowing Alice. Well, I hope she's right about that. Otherwise, you'll be visiting me and my 25 cats!"_

I was snapped from my reminiscing when Bella walked to the island and took a seat, her gorgeous brown eyes gazing at me with a look of contentment. It was a look that I hoped was mirrored in my own. I knew that I needed to let Bella head back to her place so that she could rest up for her shift, but the selfish part of me resisted. I wanted to keep her with me.

"So what's next? Do you want me to walk you home so you can catch a nap before you head to the hospital tonight?" I decided that I would be a gentleman.

"Oh, I don't know. It's only 12:45. I know I won't be able to sleep more than an hour or so. Would you mind just hanging out for a while? Unless you have things that you need to do. I mean, I understand if you have things that you need to do…" Bella began to say quickly, almost nervously. I came around to sit next to her and grabbed her hand in my own.

"Silly girl. I hope it doesn't sound too corny of me to say that the only thing I need to do is spend time with you. I would love nothing more than to hang out all day, but I just don't want you to be too tired for your shift."

Bella blushed a fantastic shade of pink. "You're not too corny, Cullen. We can always nap a bit, right?"

The thought hadn't crossed my mind that she would want to nap with me, but I wasn't about to turn down the opportunity. "Whatever you say, sweets!"

I did have a few loads of laundry to do, so I gathered those while Bella borrowed my laptop to check her email. She was expecting some information from her contact at her agency regarding her next assignment. I tried very hard to forget that in 25 weeks, she would be going to San Francisco.

"Know anything about Stanford Medical Center?" Bella asked with a smile.

"As a matter of fact, I do. That's my old stomping grounds. Is that where you are headed next?"

"Yup. Nola let me know that they would like to have me for six months, but she negotiated three, with the option to stay another three if I'd like." I tried not to let my disappointment about the possibility of a longer assignment flicker across my face.

"Another six month assignment doesn't fit into The Plan, though. I need to find a good graduate program and hope that Nola can find an assignment for me in the vicinity. It shouldn't be a problem. I was hoping to take a break and spend some time with my parents in Phoenix after I finish in San Francisco. It might just be easier to live with them again for a bit while I go to school."

"Are you going to work and take classes?" I asked. Phoenix was so far away.

"Oh, I haven't thought that far ahead. Right now, I am here through Thanksgiving, then on to Stanford, it seems. I'll look at schools and try to have my applications done by the new year, I guess. Renee will be pushing for Phoenix, no doubt, as will Charlie, Jake and Leah. Part of me is resisting that, though," she said with a somewhat sad inflection in her voice.

"Well, you have some time, at least," I said, willing a smile to my face and mentally taking note to check out graduate nursing programs in Seattle and even Portland. I didn't think it could hurt to be prepared.

My first load of laundry finished in the washer and after I started the second, I noticed Bella trying to stifle a yawn. I walked up behind her and wrapped my arms around her middle, pulling her close.

"Someone's tired," I said in a low voice in her ear. I felt her body shiver.

"Yes, I am a little sleepy. Maybe I should head home for my nap," Bella said with a sigh, giving my arms a squeeze.

"Well don't feel like you have to leave on my account. We can go upstairs and nap if you want to. I will be a good boy and keep my hands to myself. I promise," I said, punctuating my statement with a kiss to her temple.

"Is that an order, Dr. Cullen?" Bella said with a smirk and a half step backwards, bringing her ass into contact with my previously sleeping groin.

"You're making it awfully, uh, _hard _to be good, Nurse Swan. Upstairs with you," I said, releasing her and giving her a playful swat on the ass.

"Yes, _sir,_" she said over her shoulder as she walked to the staircase, swaying her hips deliciously. I was so screwed.

We walked up the stairs and went into my bedroom. Bella took off from the door and jumped onto my bed like a six-year old. She was so adorable in her childlike ways, and I couldn't wait to join her. I flopped down next to her as she continued to bounce.

"Are you having fun?" I asked as she bounced more, jarring my body as she nodded her head furiously.

"It's always fun to bounce. I don't do it much because I am a paranoid nurse who has treated way too many injuries on kids who play on trampolines."

On her next bounce, I swiped her legs out from under her and she landed on her ass, giggling, right next to me. Bella then fell over onto her back, her head landing on the pillow. She looked at me with the happiest smile lighting up her face, and my heart felt a tug.

"I really should try to nap, you know. I feel like Goldilocks in your comfy bed," Bella sighed as she turned onto her left side, facing me. I turned onto my right side, mirroring her.

"Well, then don't let me distract you, pretty girl."

Bella smiled sweetly as she snuggled herself into me, her head using my bicep as a pillow and her right hand resting right over my heart, which had me feeling another tug. I encircled her in my arms and held her close, her heady scent soothing me in ways that I never knew existed.

"You are a wonderful distraction, Edward. The very best there is," she assured me. "Can you set your alarm for about 4:45? I'd hate to oversleep."

"No problem," I said as I pulled my phone from my pocket and set the alarm. "OK. I kick you out at 4:46. I'll spot you a minute, Swan."

I felt her laugh and pulled her close again. It was quiet and peaceful, until I heard her whisper.

"Edward?"

"Yes, Bella?"

"Where are the underwear and bra you stole from me?"

I shook with laughter and kissed her upturned face. "Wouldn't you love to know?" I asked her, narrowing my eyes slightly.

"Fine, Cullen. I _will _find them," she replied with determination.

"I'm counting on it, Bella. It's a guarantee that you'll keep coming over. My evil plan will work."

"Just try to keep me away."

"That's what I like to hear. Tricking you into submission."

"No tricking needed. And we'll see about the submission thing," she said with a smirk.

I laughed and squirmed a little trying to disguise my growing cock, because Bella mentioning anything sexy had that effect on me.

"Goodnight, Edward," she said, snuggling back into me.

"Goodnight, Bella," I said, kissing the top of her head, drifting off to sleep with a smile on my face and a beautiful girl in my arms.

**Chapter 9 is almost done…**

**Things you should be reading:**

_**Expectations and Other Moving Pieces**_** by chrometurtle.**

_**Hide and Drink**_** by savage**

_**I Know You**_** by hmonster4**

**Please click and review, because I really love to hear from you!**


	9. Chapter 9

Thanks for joining me for Chapter 9! I am so grateful that you take the time to read my little story. Today, February 28, 2010, is the day that the Godmother of Twilight FanFiction, Mrs. The King, declared to be Reader Appreciation Day. I hope you inbox was flooded with updates from your favorite authors. I know mine was. Without all of you, this effort wouldn't be half as enjoyable!

On a more serious note, this chapter is for DanySpike, who is down there in Chile, enduring hell on Earth. She is safe and well, as is her family, but many aren't. I hope you all can take a moment to say a prayer for the people of Chile touched by this disaster. Take care, Dany! Tweet when you can!

Special thanks to my super fly beta h00rs, TwiSherry and myheroin1. Nuthin' but love, ladies.

_**Disclaimer: Twilight and its universe belong to Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement intended.**_

_**Edward**_

I looked down at Bella in my arms, sleeping. She looked so lovely. Her fair skin had gotten a little pink from her adventures in the rare sun earlier. Up close, I was able to drink in the features of her face. Her skin was flawless, save for a few scattered freckles over the bridge of her nose and onto the apples of her cheeks. I traced the arch of her eyebrow lightly with my finger. Her shiny brown hair was still in a ponytail, which had taken up residence near the skin of her collarbone that I loved to kiss so much. Her lips were moist, barely parted and I could swear I saw an indentation on her full lower lip from where she constantly bit it.

She was perfect.

It was almost 4 o'clock. We had had a nice two hour nap, and I noticed that she was beginning to stir, soon to wake like me. I leaned down and placed a whisper of a kiss on her lips. After a moment, her mouth curved into a smile and her eyelids fluttered open. This close, I was able to discern that her irises were not merely brown, but flecks of gold, chestnut, mahogany, and a deep umber. They were breathtaking.

"Hi," she said with her sleep-addled voice as she stretched like a cat, lightly rubbing her ass on my dick. _It _was definitely awake.

"Hi, yourself. Did you have a nice nap?" I asked, trying not to flip her over and grind her into the mattress. "You have a few more minutes that you can sleep."

"Oh, I'm good, I think. I feel pretty rested," she said with a sigh.

I could not resist, so I reached out and palmed her ass. "Yup, you feel pretty rested to me, too."

Bella giggled and squirmed. "Very funny, Cullen. Give me a sec to use the bathroom, okay?"

I nodded and stretched, feeling a little alone even though she was only ten feet away. I hoped and prayed that I was falling in love; otherwise I was sure I was becoming the world's biggest pussy. Bella returned and sat next to me on the bed. She smiled and curled next to me again.

"So, what do you have planned for this evening?" she asked as she played with my watch.

"Oh, I'll probably cut my grass and do some other yard work. Putter around the house and catch a movie tonight on cable." _And miss you terribly,_ I thought.

"I guess I have been keeping you from your routine, huh?" she said with a little smile.

"I wouldn't say that. It's more like you have rearranged my routine for the better," I said, then kissed her softly on her lips.

That comment earned me a smile and a hug. I loved the way her body just fit perfectly with mine. She gave me a big squeeze as she looked up at me.

"I have to head home in a bit to get ready for work, but I seem to remember that we have a bit of unfinished business from earlier today." Bella had a playful smile on her slightly parted lips.

My dick sprung to attention.

My brain fought to be a gentleman.

"Bella, we don't have to…" I began as she stroked my cock lightly through my shorts.

"But I really _want_ to," she countered breathily.

My dick laughed at my brain as she continued to tease me.

Before I knew what was happening, Bella had situated herself on top of my crotch, straddling me. I could see her hardened nipples through her bra and thin cotton shirt, and like a moth to the flame, I reached for them.

Bella leaned her breasts into my eager hands as she searched for friction with her sex, grinding into me. I sat up, bringing my hands to her ass to press us together more. She groaned and rested her forehead on mine.

"God, Edward, it's like I can't get enough of you. The way you make me feel…I can't even begin to tell you."

"Mmm," I said, and kissed her, our tongues seeking out one another. Her mouth was so warm and inviting. I moaned at the pleasure.

"I feel like that, too," I panted between kisses. "You're what I have been missing, Bella." Her brown eyes grew wide, and for a moment, I thought I had revealed too much, too soon. Then her mouth crashed down on mine and I could feel all of the passion, the longing, the years of searching contained in that kiss. We might not be ready to call it love, but we both knew that's what it was. And we were both fine with it being unspoken for now.

We kissed until we were breathless. Bella then began an assault on my neck with her lips, her tongue, and her teeth. I fell back on the bed as she stripped my shirt from me and continued down to the waistband of my shorts. Looking down at her, I saw her face, flushed with desire. She placed her hand on the button of my shorts and I gave her a crooked grin, a silent invitation to continue.

Bella slid my shorts and underwear down quickly, her eagerness making me harder. I kicked them away as she ran her fingers over my abs, scratching with just enough force to make the slight pain pleasurable. When her eyes met mine, the sexiest smile fell upon her lips as her small hand found its way to my cock. She bent her head down, and I felt her tongue lick my slit, then circle around the head, torturously slow.

"God that feels amazing, Bella!" I said as she began to suck lightly on the head and squeezed my shaft with her hand. I was suddenly faced with a dilemma with what to do with my hands. Would it be too caveman to weave my fingers through her hair while her mouth was on me? The instinct was strong to have another connection with her body. Like she was reading my mind, her free hand reached for my own and she guided it to the back of her head. Her eyes stayed locked with mine. When my hand became tangled in her tresses, she opened her mouth wider and groaned as she took me deeper. I about lost it right there.

"Shit! Your mouth is so fucking good!" I said in a strangled voice as I watched her red lips slide up to the tip and then back down as far as she could take me. I felt her tongue on the underside of my cock flatten out and press against me as she worked her way back up. Her hand had moved from my cock to my ass, where she gently squeezed in rhythm with her mouth. Over and over, her mouth slid down and up, working me with her magnificent tongue, and I felt my orgasm approach.

"Ah, oh God, Bella," I said as I tried to move her from my impending release, but she would have none of that. In fact, she grasped me tighter and began to work her mouth faster over my swollen head. As she looked up through her long, dark lashes, I think it was her tongue that actually was my undoing. I came long and hard as I felt it swirl around the tip, yelling her name.

"There is no way… no words," I panted as I cupped her cheek and fell back on the bed. Bella crawled back up to my side, a satisfied smile on her flushed face. I pulled her to my chest, kissing her head.

"So, my first time wasn't that bad?" she asked with a smirk. "I rather enjoyed myself."

"Bella, the things you just did to me were so far off the charts. Seriously, I had no idea I could feel so good. I, uh, tried to warn you…"

"Edward, the brief taste I had of you this morning has consumed me all day. I couldn't wait to get my mouth on you again," Bella said with a shy confidence only she could pull off. Sexy and innocent at the same time. Pure Bella.

"Well, the feeling is mutual," I said as I ghosted my hand over her center. I knew she would have to leave soon, and I wanted the afterglow to last me all night. "Hopefully we will be able to carve some time out of our schedules to spend time together this week."

"Oh, you better count on it, Cullen."

Bella and I laid there in each other's arms for a few more minutes until the alarm on my phone went off. She squeezed me tight and groaned. We found our discarded clothes and made ourselves presentable.

"I really wish I had some more time, but I would like to get a shower and take care of a few things before I go in tonight," Bella said with a sigh.

"I know, love. Off to the salt mines with you. At least Forks doesn't have all of the excitement of a big city to keep you elbows deep in stabbings and gunshot wounds. That's something I don't miss." I got up off of the bed and pulled her to her feet, wrapping her in my arms.

We descended the stairs and walked to the porch after Bella retrieved her keys and phone. The late afternoon heat was present, but the skies had clouded over. Rain wasn't too far off.

"Now, what should I expect tomorrow morning at brunch?" Bella asked as she hopped down the steps like a little kid.

"Well, nothing too unusual, I guess. The only person you haven't met is my mom. She is a perfect blend of Emmett, Alice and I. You'll see. She's a wonderful cook, a fantastic designer, and can be a little pushy when it comes to her single son, but even that falls under the heading of terrific mom. You'll love her."

"I'm sure I will. I'm looking forward to it. What time do you want to leave?"

"Oh, 9:30 will be fine. That'll give you enough time to get home and shower and change. And nothing fancy. I plan to wear shorts and a polo shirt, if that helps," I said, giving her hand a light squeeze.

"Great! Do we get to count it as a date? We can call it date three?"

"Counting the dates, Swan?"

"Yes. Yes I am. It makes me all giddy and feel all girly. And don't tell me you aren't counting, too. I can tell."

"You got me," I said, kissing her. I had intended for it to be a brief one, but Bella threw her arms around my neck and began to suck gently on my bottom lip. I let out a groan, squeezing her to my chest.

"I need to let you get going," I said quietly as we parted. "I would walk you home, but then I'd just undoubtedly find my way into your…" _fuckhot panties... _"house."

Bella gave me a playful smack to the back of my head, and I feigned injury. She began walking backward, away from me. We dropped hands and she began her short walk home.

"Bye, Edward," she called over her shoulder, smiling.

"Bye, Bella. See you in the morning," I said. I watched her until she reached the corner and turned left toward her house.

Looking at the sky, which was threatening rain. I scrubbed my hands over my face and headed to the garage. It seemed that this afternoon, I had a date with a lawn mower.

_**Bella**_

I tried my hardest not to skip home, even though my heart was so light. When I got in the door, I shut it behind me and rested my back against it. I raised my hand to my chest and felt my pulse. It was racing as if I had run a marathon, not walked less than a block. Edward Cullen had seemed to have that effect on me.

The squeal that escaped my mouth made me laugh at myself. It had been so very long that I had felt so free. The feeling was intoxicating, and it was in that moment that I decided that I was through drifting. I had my commitment to the agency through the end of February. After that, I would be free.

But free to do what? Return to Forks? _Whoa. Cart before the horse, Bella._

Returning to Forks was an option. But then what about school? And there was the little issue of my feelings for Edward.

I had some time to figure all of that out.

**~*~**

The department was empty of patients when I got there. It had been all day.

"Bella!" James Shaw called as I came into the conference room. "Good to see you! We're not busy here at all today, and Vicki is getting slammed upstairs on OB. I think you have been chosen to float up there and help out. If we pick up, then you'll come back down. Glenda wanted me to tell you that. She's in a charge nurse meeting."

"Oh. Wow! Well, I guess I'll get going up there, then?" I half asked, half said.

Glenda swept into the room just then, breathing a sigh of relief when she saw me standing there.

"You are just the nurse I was looking for, Bella. We are quiet down here for the time being, and they are hopping upstairs. You mentioned that you wanted OB experience, right?" Glenda said with a smile.

"Sure. Just point me the way!" I said. There was no way I could turn Glenda down.

I looked back at James and waved. "See you, desert rat," he called, going back to blowing up exam gloves into balloons.

"Thanks for being such a good sport about this, Bella. I don't think I'll be getting out of here any time soon, so I will come by and check on you later."

"I'm sure it'll all be fine. That's why they pay me the big bucks, right?"

Glenda snorted as she pushed the button for the elevator. As we waited, she pounced.

"So, how is Dr. Cullen these days?" she asked with a wicked grin.

"He's well." _Blushblushblush._

"Has the boy asked you on a proper date yet? Because if he hasn't, I'll have a talk with him."

"Yes, he has asked me out. We have been out a few times, and I'm headed over to Casa Cullen in the morning for brunch with everyone. Now don't push, Momma Bear. If it's meant to happen, it'll happen."

Glenda let out a hearty laugh. "That tells me that you have the desire for it to happen, little girl." She put her arm around me. "Trust me, if the connection is there, don't worry about logistics."

"Thanks, Glenda," I said, simply. I suddenly wanted to call my own mom.

We arrived on the OB unit, and I saw Vicki sitting at the nurses' station, assessing the five fetal monitors that were busily tracing the activity on five separate wombs. She looked up and smiled widely.

"Ladies! Glad you made it to the party! We have favors and everything!" she said as she twirled IV tubing over her head.

"Bella, this is Deann. She'll be helping you tonight. Now, they know that you don't have much OB experience, but just ask her for anything you might need," Glenda said, motioning to the blonde nurse that had come to stand by us.

"I'm glad to have you here, Bella. We have five moms monitored right now. Four are term and are either admitted or will be that way shortly. One is a 32-weeker that we are keeping an eye on. And we also have two mother-baby pairs. The plan is for you to take the antepartum patients and lend a hand when needed with our laboring moms. I have one about to start pushing, two who are only about three to six centimeters dilated and one whose water broke and is in very early labor. How does all of that sound?"

In all actuality, it didn't sound very bad. "I think I can handle it. Just point me in the direction I need to be."

Glenda gave me a pat on the back and said she'd be back in an hour or so, while Deann gave me a quick tour of the unit. Vicki was with the other nurse, Lanie, checking on the patient who was about to begin pushing.

"Is it always so busy?" I asked as I loaded my pockets with the things I'd need for the evening.

"Well, I think OB is a lot like the ED with regard to the fluctuation in census, but this is unusual. I'd sure like to know what caused everyone to do it like animals nine months ago! We have been steadily busy for about the last six weeks or so, and things don't look like they'll slow down for another month," Deann commented.

We went to meet the mother-baby pairs first. The first mom had delivered the previous night, and the second earlier today. Deann ran through the chart with me as I assessed the patients. After we finished with them, we checked on the patient who was being observed for early labor. She was comfortable and her contractions had slowed considerably. Hopefully, that would continue and she could be discharged in the morning.

By the time I made it back to the nurses' station, it was 8:45 and there was one more baby in the town of Forks. I was sitting at the desk, going through all of the charting when I heard what had, over the past few days, become my favorite sound.

"Hello, beautiful," Edward said as I looked up in surprise. He had a travel mug of coffee and a small bag in his hand.

"Well, hi yourself! What brings you by? I thought you were going to be a couch potato tonight!"

Edward leaned across the ledge that separated us, his green eyes alive with happiness. "I just thought you might be needing some caffeine and a sugar rush right about now, that's all."

As if on cue, my stomach let out a giant growl, causing me to giggle like a twelve year old.

"I'll take that as a yes," he said, pushing off the ledge and coming around the desk. He even did _that_ like a god.

Pulling up a chair beside me, Edward set the coffee and paper bag on the desk. He leaned in, giving me a quick kiss on the cheek, which immediately caused me to blush. He brushed his fingers across my pink skin and whispered, "That's what I was hoping to see." _Swoon! _

I looked around, hoping that we didn't have an audience, which we didn't, and reached over to give his hand a quick squeeze. "It's nice to see you. I guess your dad let you know that I was stolen for the night?"

"Actually, it was Glenda. There was no way to wipe the grin off of her face, either," He said with a laugh.

"I guess things are crazy house-wide, except for the ED. Hopefully she'll head home soon, though." I eyed the bag with curiosity. "So what did you bring for me, Cullen?"

"I may have called my mom and asked her for her peanut butter cookie recipe. They aren't nearly as good as hers, but I made plenty so you can share," he said with obvious pride. Without hesitation, I opened the bag and snatched a cookie, devouring it. It was delicious.

"It is official," I said, after snarfing the whole thing. "You have no faults, Dr. Cullen!" I leaned over and gave him a sweet kiss on the lips.

"Oh, Bella! That's the last thing you should have said to Edward!" Vicki laughed as she rounded the corner, witnessing my little PDA. "Now his ego will know no bounds! Oooh! Cookies!"

"And you think you should get one after that comment?" Edward joked, suddenly becoming protective of the bag of goodies. Lanie and Deann appeared next, peering over Vicki's shoulder.

Looking impossibly adorable, Edward relented, opening the bag to each of the women, sharing his creations.

"It's good to see that you play well with others, Edward," Vicki chided as she sat and glanced at the monitors.

"Ha ha, Dr. Shaw. I guess you could use the sugar boost. You guys are busy!"

"Yes, we are. And Bella has been a Godsend. I'm still going to try to convince her to be a midwife instead of working down there in the ED."

I smiled at Vicki, shaking my head. "We'll have to see on that one, I think. I'm still too much of an adrenaline junkie to give it up now."

"Oh, we've got adrenaline here, too," Lanie piped up. "Join me for the next delivery. She should be pushing within the next few hours. It's a miracle every time."

The call bells went off in two separate rooms, so Lanie and Deann went to see what each patient needed. Despite the rushed beginning of the shift, things had calmed somewhat, with the three new moms resting and the other monitored patients fairly comfortable. It was a good time to take a breath.

"Bella, the cafeteria closes at 9:30, and reopens from 2AM to 3AM to feed the night shift, even if it is only cold cuts and chips. If you want to get something before then, you should go now. The other girls said that they don't need to go. We'll be fine here for a few minutes," Vicki said, her eyes flickering briefly to Edward's and then back to mine.

"Uh, okay," I said. "You can walk me down, Edward. Sound good?"

Edward let loose a killer smile on me and stood up. He held out his hand to me in a very gentlemanly manner to help me up. "Miss Swan," he said with a polite bow of his head.

"Good lord, Edward! Putting it on a bit thick, aren't you?" Vicki giggled.

"You're just jealous, Vick. Plus, it just gives you hens something gossip about, right?" he shot back with a wink. My face was bright red the whole time.

I turned to Vicki and tried to gather my composure a bit. "I'll be right back."

"There's no real rush, Bella. Things are pretty stable, two moms hours away from delivery. If I need you in a rush, I will have you paged."

I felt a little guilty leaving the unit, but I did want to get a snack for later. No telling if we would be in the middle of two deliveries when 2AM rolled around.

Edward and I got in the elevator, and as soon as the doors shut, he enveloped me in his arms, kissing me sweetly.

"What kind of witchcraft do you use on me, Bella?" he asked. "You left this afternoon, and all I could think about was an excuse to come see you, even if it's only for a few minutes."

I squeezed him tight and parted to a more professional distance as the elevator reached our chosen floor. "I'm glad that you surprised me. You occupy more than a few of my thoughts, too. The cookies were a nice touch."

We walked to the cafeteria, hand in hand in a comfortable silence. As we entered, I heard Glenda callout behind us.

"Edward, don't be distracting my nurses!"

Edward stopped and turned to wait for Glenda. When she caught up to us, he put his free arm around her shoulders and hugged her. "She's the one distracting me, Glenda. Why else would I be here on my night off?"

Glenda leaned forward a bit to look at me. "Boy's got it bad, Bella."

Edward squeezed my hand. "And what if I do?"

"I'd have to say it's a good thing. That's all. Oh, you remember Janie? The runaway? Johnny and I are going to be fostering her and the baby until we can get her situation sorted out. I just couldn't sit back and not do anything."

"That's very generous of you to do that, Glenda. How is she doing?" I asked. Over the past few days, Janie and Anneliese were topics of conversation between Edward and me. I was concerned for the young mother.

"Well, we were already in the system because we fostered two little girls a few years back. Not many people in the immediate area have gone through the process to become foster parents, and seeing as though she and I had a connection, the state thought it would be a good placement."

Glenda continued to chat with us about how Janie was adjusting to motherhood and what the game plan was for her future. I agreed to stop by sometime in the next few days to see her and offer some support in a big sister capacity, perhaps get her to open up about her parents.

Glenda grabbed a sandwich and headed out, her long day over, and I reluctantly turned to Edward. "I really need to get back."

"I know. The sooner I get you back on the floor, the sooner your shift will be over," He said with a smile. We stepped into the elevator once again. This time, when the doors shut, I stood on my toes and kissed him, nibbling on his delicious bottom lip, causing him to groan.

"That is so not fair, Bella," He protested as the carriage brought us to the proper floor. I gave him my best innocent smile and exited, his hands resting on my shoulders as he walked behind me.

Lanie smiled as Edward and I approached the desk. "Our mom in Room 3 will probably start pushing within the hour. Do you want to help me set up?"

"Sure!" I said enthusiastically. "I'll be right there, okay?"

Lanie nodded and went to the supply room while I turned to Edward.

"Duty calls, Dr. Cullen," I said with a sigh. "I'll see you in the morning, though, right?"

"You better believe it!" he said, pulling me in for a hug. I closed my eyes and breathed his scent as if I needed it to last the whole night, which wasn't far from the truth.

I knew I was falling more for Edward with every hug, every look, and every kiss. I smiled as I pulled away.

"See you soon, handsome," I said, softly and gave him a kiss, a little lingering, and squeezed his hands.

"Have a good night, and call me when you get home," He said.

I watched him walk to the elevator and disappear behind the sliding door. _Back to work, Swan._

Lanie came from the supply room with a few tiny hats for the baby about to be born, along with a few other things we would need.

"Bella, I think it's time to show you there's plenty of adrenaline to be had in OB. Follow me!" she said with such enthusiasm that I found it impossible to hide my smile.

We entered the room and I was instantly struck by how homey it was. Aside from the area set aside for the docs to examine and assess the newborn and the hospital bed, it looked like a rather posh hotel room. Harsh overhead lights had been replaced by task lighting controlled by dimmers on remotes. There was a large light comparable to what would be found in operating rooms and trauma bays, but it had been folded into the ceiling and concealed by a panel.

The patient, Kate, and her husband, Garrett were holding hands and talking quietly. I almost hated to intrude, because it looked like an intensely private moment.

"Kate, how are you feeling? Is the epidural still doing the trick?" Lanie asked as she focused her attention to the fetal monitor, noting no signs of distress.

"The epidural is heaven! I do feel like I am having some pressure down there, though? Is it time to push, do you think?"

"I think it could be. I'll check. Guys, this is Bella. She's a nurse who usually works in the Emergency Department, but tonight she is lending a hand up here since we are so busy." I gave a polite wave and checked the IV pump.

"Is this your first child?" I asked Kate. Her smile was enough of an answer.

"It is," She said, looking at her husband with such adoration it almost took my breath away.

"Well, I'm honored to be a part of its birth. It shouldn't be long until you meet this little one!" I said.

Lanie prepped everything for delivery, showing me how to break down the bed and ready the infant warmer. We placed all of the items that Vicki might need on a table that could be rolled to the bedside. The lights were kept fairly dim to promote a peaceful atmosphere. Lastly, Lanie checked Kate and found that she was in a good position to begin pushing. I stood by, listening to what the experienced nurse had to say to the first time mom.

"Okay, Kate, this is the hardest and most rewarding part, because at the end, you'll be holding your baby. Are you ready?" Lanie asked with a big smile.

"I think so," Kate said a little less confidently.

"You'll be fine. Now Garrett, Kate is going to be pulling her legs back, and I'm going to need you and Bella to hold them for her," Lanie said as she settled down at the foot of the bed where she would be able to see. I stood by Kate's right leg as Garrett took his spot at her left.

"Great! Okay, now Kate, I don't want you to get discouraged if you end up pushing for a while. First babies can take a bit longer. This isn't like TV. This is real work, all right?"

"I'm ready," Kate replied, looking to Garrett, who kissed her forehead in encouragement.

With the next contraction, Kate began to push. Her epidural was working too well, however, so we had to turn it down a bit so that she could feel when she was pushing effectively enough to get the baby out.

"…seven, eight, nine, and ten! Good job, Kate! You're getting there! I can see a head with some blonde hair…do you want to see, Garrett?"

"I'd love to!" Garrett replied and moved down to the foot of the bed. He looked awed as he gazed upon the tiny bit of his child's head.

"Oh, Katie! You should see it! This is amazing! Honey, you can do this, you are doing great! We'll be holding our baby so soon!"

I was enjoying my role as cheerleader and leg holder as I watched the situation unfold in front of me. Kate had been pushing for about 45 minutes. Once the epidural wore off a bit and she was able to get the hang of pushing, the baby was well on its way to meeting its parents.

"Bella, could you hit the call bell and ask to have Dr. Shaw come on in? I think it's time we see if we need a pink or a blue hat!" Lanie said as she patted Kate's leg.

I pressed the button and let Deann know that we were ready for Dr. Shaw. As I continued my supportive role for both Kate and Garrett, I noted in the back of my mind a bit of a shift. The work I was doing was a different kind of rush. The anticipation and overwhelming sense of joy filling the room was incredible. Vicki came in, and things seemed to go quickly. She and Lanie were a well-oiled machine. Deann poked her head in and said that Dr. Stapleton would be right up to check the baby over. I felt the adrenaline start to kick in, much like it did when I was working a trauma. The life or death feeling in my gut was replaced by just life and happiness. People were smiling and actually cracking jokes between contractions. I wasn't naive enough to think that this was how every birth took place, but the absence of the sense of foreboding was nice for a change.

Kate's face was red and splotchy from pushing like a champ, and you could tell she was tiring quite a bit. She pushed through a particularly difficult contraction and then fell back in the bed, panting and whimpering.

"G, I am so tired! I don't know if I can do this! Dr. Shaw! Please! Do something!"

Vicki then took Kate's hand and gave one of the best pep talks I had ever heard. "Kate, honey, you _are_ doing this. Here, feel this," she said as she took Kate's hand and placed it on her baby's head. "That's your baby, and it's about two pushes away from being up there in your arms. You can do this! Now with this next contraction, I want you to pull your legs way back and push as hard as you can. It might burn, but push through it and I promise you, very soon, you will be hearing one of the sweetest sounds ever. The baby is doing really well, and so are you. You can do this!"

Kate let her fingers rest on her baby's head, and as the next contraction hit, she did just like Vicki told her. She pushed through the pain, letting out a large growl as she reached down and felt her baby's head emerge.

"G, it's right there, babe! I can feel it! Look!" Kate exclaimed after we counted to ten.

"Can I watch, Katie? Is that okay? Or do you want me up here with you? I'll do whatever you want, hon," Garrett said, looking at his wife, torn as to what he wanted to do.

"Garrett, if you'd like, sit right here and you can help me catch," Vicki said with a smile. Garrett looked to Kate, who just nodded silently, eyes wide. He then took his place at the foot of the bed.

The next contraction hit, and Kate was able to get the head out. Garrett sat next to Vicki, watching as she suctioned the baby's mouth and nose. With the next push, Vicki helped Garrett as they delivered his son.

"It's a boy, Katie! We have a son! Oh my God!" Garrett cried as he held the baby for her to see. The little man was surprisingly quiet and incredibly cute, even all covered in newborn goo.

Vicki clamped the cord and offered to let Garrett cut it. After Lanie fitted a hat on the baby's head, he was wrapped and given quickly back to his father, who then placed him in his eager mother's arms. .

"Hello, little guy," Kate cooed to the baby that was, just a few minutes ago, inside her.

I drifted toward the foot of the bed to assist Vicki while Lanie encouraged Kate to nurse her son. Everything, from the moment I came in the room with Lanie, went smoothly and without a hitch. It was exhilarating and awe inspiring, this business of having a baby. I felt as if I hardly did anything, but was still very grateful for the opportunity.

Glancing at the clock, I noticed that I did, indeed, miss the small window of opportunity afforded to the night staff by the cafeteria. As my stomach growled, I became thankful that Vicki insisted upon me leaving the floor earlier in the evening.

The rest of the shift seemed to go by quickly. I assisted Lanie as she taught me about post-partum care, and of course, the loads of paperwork and charting involved in bringing a new life into the world. It was staggering!

The other patients were pretty quiet during the delivery of Kate and Garrett's yet-unnamed baby boy. The two left laboring were progressing slowly, thank goodness, so we were able to catch up on everything and fit in a bite to eat.

Back at the nurse's station, I noticed that the time was almost 5AM. Everything was calm. Four mother baby pairs, two laboring, both at about five centimeters, and the mom with pre-term labor was resting comfortably with no significant contractions in over six hours. Vicki, Deann, Lanie and I let out one huge collective sigh.

"Girls," Vicki said as she looked up from her charting, "you all did well tonight. And you are welcome any time in my delivery room, Bella!"

I smiled at the compliment. I knew that I was a good nurse, but having praise come after working my first shift in a new discipline made my heart swell.

"I agree, Bella. You are a natural up here. I hope you'll consider coming back when you can. We can always use someone who can just step in and get to work without the hand holding," Deann said with a smile as she gathered up her charts and went to look at the three monitors still watching over our laboring patients.

"I'd like that. I love learning new things, and this has been such a wonderful change of pace. You were absolutely right about the adrenaline rush. The positive environment is so foreign to me after all of the years of putting people back together," I said with a smile.

The rest of the shift flew by, and at 6:30, I felt my phone buzz in my pocket.

_**Morning! Have a good shift? -e**_

I felt my face break into a smile as I shot back an answer.

_**Yes!I really love it up here. It feels like a second home! Do you ever sleep?-b**_

_**Just getting ready for a run and thought I'd say hi. Any cookies left? -e**_

I laughed out loud, as we just had divvied up the last of the treats that Edward had left for us.

_**Nothing but crumbs, baby. Keep feeding**_ _**me like that & I'll have to run 24/7 to keep my girlish figure. -b**_

I put my phone down and looked over my charting once more. Vicki was sitting across the table with her head lying on her arms.

"You know, I have known Edward for about a year now and have never seen him as happy as he was last night, with you."

I was a little stunned by Vicki's statement, but I couldn't help my smile. "I feel the same way. He is a lot of fun to be around."

"Well, whatever you guys are doing, it works. Have fun!" she said with a wink, her head still down. She sighed and stood up slowly. "It's nights like this when I really wish I had a midwife to work with. Perhaps if we steal you away enough, you'll change loyalties, Bella."

I gave Vicki a grin. "You flatter me! I won't rule it out, okay?"

"Good enough for now! I'm going to go check on everyone while you girls finish up and get ready for report," Vicki said over her shoulder as she walked out into the hall. "If I don't see you before change of shift, thanks again for all of your help tonight. I'll see you around!"

Deann, Lanie, and I sat at the table going over the charting and paperwork for the newborns. It really was a lot of documentation to get straight. My phone buzzed again with a text, presumably from Edward. My co-workers giggled as I slyly tried to see what it said.

"Oh, look at the text already!" Deann said. "You guys are too cute together!"

"Yes! What's Dr. Cullen got to say this early in the morning?" Lanie piped in.

"Oh, he was just asking if we finished off the cookies. He's getting ready to go for a run, and then I'm heading to his parents' place for brunch with the whole clan. No pressure, huh?" I laughed, nervously.

I looked at my phone and read Edward's latest message.

_**I happen to like your girlish figure. You want me to wait and we can run together? -e**___

I tapped out a reply as Lanie and Deann smirked good naturedly beside me.

_**You go ahead. I don't want to be too tired at brunch. Don't want to crush your ego by falling asleep on our date! -b **_

"You know, Vicki's right. It's great to see Edward so smiley. My fiancée is an electrician who works on projects with his brother, Emmett. The whole family is just super nice," Lanie said.

"I know! I have gotten to meet everyone except Esme. Forks has been very welcoming to me, as well. I'm glad to have landed here for the next six months!"

Another text from Edward came through.

_**I can think of a few ways to keep you awake, Swan. I'll see you at 9:30. -e**_

I felt my cheeks redden as I read his message. Keep me awake, indeed!

"It must be a good message if she's blushing like that!" Deann laughed. I was so busted.

_**You make me blush, Cullen. See you soon. -b**_

Our relief came off of the elevator. It wasn't long before Deann, Lanie and I had given report on the patients and headed out to our cars. After a quick trip home, I unlocked my door only to hear my name being called from down the street. Up jogged Edward, in some running shorts and a drenched t-shirt that was clinging deliciously to his sculpted physique. He looked so good it should be illegal.

"Hi, beautiful," he said as he walked toward me, his hands on his hips, breathing heavily. Cue the tingling of the girly bits.

"Hi, yourself. Have a good run?"

"Yup. I thought I'd say hi to you before I head home to shower."

I looked him up and down and laughed. "Yes, you are in need. You are a little ripe," I joked.

"Oh, I am, am I?" he asked, taking a step toward me, a playful look in his gorgeous green eyes. He held out his arms to me. "How about a hug?"

I took a step back as he countered with another step forward. I was soon stopped by the side of the house, cornered by a hot, stinky, lustful man.

"Um, no!" I squealed as he pressed his damp body against mine. He wrapped his strong arms around me. I struggled for a few seconds, but to be honest, feeling his firm muscles felt too damn good, regardless of how gross and sweaty he was.

Edward ducked his head down and kissed me until I was breathless. I could truly kiss him forever and never get enough. His lips were so soft, yet forceful in their ministrations. And his tongue! Oh dear Lord, the way it stroked against mine, exploring my mouth was heavenly. The sometimes gentle, sometimes not so gentle nibbles from his teeth on my lips, my neck, as well as other places, proved to me that the man was a master of all things oral. I sighed and opened my eyes as he pulled away from my slightly swollen lips.

"I've been waiting all night to do that," He whispered as he rested his forehead against mine.

"No complaints here," I managed to whisper back.

"Hate to get you all riled up and run, but I have to get showered. Unless I can interest you in conserving water by showering together?" he said, wiggling his eyebrows.

"Go, you stinky boy! I'll see you at 9:30!" I said, pushing him away with great reluctance. He leaned in for one more lingering kiss and then turned and hopped off the porch.

"Bye, Bella," he said with a grin, and then jogged off in the direction of his house.

Climbing the stairs, I giggled over the fact that my shirt was damp in places where Edward's body was pressed next to mine. My fingers found their way to my lips, still tingling from his kisses. I looked at myself in the mirror, skin flushed still, and I shook my head.

"You've got it bad, Bella," I said, aloud as I turned the water on in my shower. And for having it bad, I don't think I could recall ever feeling so good.

Thanks so much for reading!

Lastly, I just want you readers to know that I plan to take down my story from that site on March 15, since some if the chapters are in violation of the terms of service. I also post on Twilighted, and am going to post on The Writers Coffee Shop as well, since they currently offer an NC-17 rating for stories, while FFn does not . If you don't care for those sites, I also have a blog that you can subscribe to and when new chapters or insane babbling is posted, you will be notified. I just figure that since I am knowingly in violation, it is the right thing to do. All of these links will be available on my profile page. I am truly sorry for the inconvenience, but I must take the story to where the rating is more appropriate. Thanks for understanding, y'all!

Tweet me- aciepey


	10. Chapter 10

**Ohai. Do you even remember that once upon a time, you put this story on your alerts? Yeah, well, sorry is not even an adequate thing to say for this kind of fail. RL is my priority, sorry to say. Family stuff trumps all, but now, as that settles down and I get my shit together, I hope to be able to focus on this little piece of fluff. I won't abandon it. All I ask is your patience and understanding in case RL takes me away again.**

**Did you know that I have some pretty fantastic ladies who give me their undying support and red pen skills? TwiSherry, valenid, myheroin1, and nitareality have all secured a place in my heart forever. Thanks you so much ladies!**

**I don't usually do song recommendations. Maybe I should. Whatever. Anyway, there is a song called "Natural Reaction" by Gomez. I am a big fan of theirs, and it has always been a fave of mine. It also dovetails nicely into Bella's life in this chapter. Listen to it if that's your thing. I'm pretty sure you can find a slew of their stuff on YouTube.**

**I truly appreciate all of you taking the time to read my words. I hope that you enjoy this chapter—and the rest of the story when we get there!**

**Oh, and just in case you were wondering:**

**Twilight isn't mine. It belongs to Stephenie Meyer.**

**I'm not making money off of this.**

**Plagiarism is just not cool. Please don't copy or translate. Thanks.**

_**Edward**_

When I was little, I remember wishing that time would pass quickly. Christmas couldn't get here fast enough, or the car trip was always excruciatingly long. When I would complain, my parents would caution me about 'wishing my life away' and that one day, I would learn patience. And, of course, they were right. I matured, gained perspective, and settled into the adult mindset that things will go at their own pace, and there wasn't squat shit that you could do about it. That being said, it seemed all of my patience had been obliterated the moment I met Bella Swan.

Maybe I was just too infatuated for my own good, but I missed Bella when I wasn't with her. I felt strange admitting that to myself, but it was the only reasonable explanation for the slightly grumpy feeling that lurked when I was alone. Her smile and laugh buoyed me, which was a surprise, since I thought I was a pretty happy person to begin with. And all of this in just a few days' time! That was the truly frightening thing to me.

I jogged home after seeing Bella at her door. She seemed a little tired, but excited about her night with Vicki and the girls in OB. I knew that she would have a good experience there. I had toyed briefly with the thought of specializing in OB/GYN, but Emergency Medicine won out. Ultimately, I think it was my dad's influence that swayed me. His influence over my life, both personally and professionally, is something I am not ashamed to admit. He is a good man, and I consider it an honor to be his son.

I had really pushed myself on my run, so after I showered, I collapsed on my bed. As I laid there on my back, my thoughts naturally turned to Bella. I was excited to be taking her to meet my mom. I really wanted them to like each other, but wasn't worried. The two of them, along with my sister and Rose, would be thick as thieves by the time noon rolled around.

I was ready to pick Bella up about an hour before I needed to. _Jeez, Cullen, anxious much?_ I looked around my room and sighed. My thoughts were taken back to yesterday, Bella in my bed. The way she felt next to me as we slept was sublime. The most surprising thing that I discovered as her beautiful body was wrapped around me in slumber was that Bella had a tendency to talk in her sleep. It wasn't anything Earth-shattering or scandalous, what she said, but it had a profound effect on my feelings that were building. As I held Bella close, she smiled and murmured, "Edward." At first, I thought she was awake, but when I noticed that she was asleep, and that I occupied her thoughts, even as she slept, I couldn't help but smile.

When I had wasted enough time to turn the clock to 9AM, I decided I could wait no longer. I needed to see her as soon as possible, so I dialed her number, and she picked up after the first ring.

"Good morning, Dr. Cullen," Bella said, the smile evident in her voice.

"It is, Nurse Swan. Are you decent?" I asked, trying to disguise my eagerness, and doing a horrible job at it.

"I am," she said with a laugh. "Do I want to know why you are asking?"

"Well, at the risk of sounding totally pathetic, I looked at our schedules for the coming week, and we will not get much time to spend together until Thursday, at best. I was wondering if I could swing by a little early, even if it is just to talk to you while you finish getting ready. There. I said it. I understand if you feel like I'm being a little stalkerish, or clingy, or…" I managed to mumble before she cut me off.

"Get your fine ass over here, Edward. I'll leave the door open for you. I'll just be drying my hair."

I did a fist pump and laughed. "Have you been checking out my ass, Swan?"

"Goodbye, Edward," she laughed back and hung up.

Approximately four minutes later, I was climbing the stairs to her room two at a time, listening to Bella sing some old George Michael song that poured through the speakers of her iHome.

She shut off her hair dryer and turned around, smiling. She then lowered the volume on the catchy tune and crossed the room to me, lifting up on her toes to peck my lips.

"Interesting choice of songs, Bella. 'You gotta have faith?''' I said, my eyebrow raised.

"Maybe. Or maybe it's just a good shake your ass song!" And with that, she turned around and continued her singing and dancing as she walked into the bathroom. It was a nice view, to say the least.

Now I was used to Alice and her preparations for hair, make up, and clothing. It was always a flurry of activity. It looked like Bella's regimen was the polar opposite. After drying her hair, she swept the sides of her hair up in a clip, applied some mascara and grabbed a yellow tube of Burt's Bees tinted stuff that made her lips look incredible and declared herself done. The cotton sundress she wore was white with pink, orange and red poppies scattered all over. She grabbed a lightweight red sweater off the foot of her bed and then beckoned me with her finger. I walked toward her and stood between her legs as she sat on the edge of her bed. She wrapped her arms around my waist and sighed heavily. I dropped my head and pressed my lips to the top of her head.

"Tired?" I asked, rubbing her arms, all soft from her shower and whatever lotion she used to make her smell delicious.

"A little. Mostly my mind is still running from all that I did last night. It was fulfilling in a whole new way for me, and I have to say that I never would have expected to be swayed from years of Emergency and Trauma nursing. What is it with this town?" Bella said with a laugh, turning her slightly sleep deprived eyes up to mine.

"What do you mean? What other unexpected things has Forks forced upon you?" I inquired with a raised brow. I had a pretty good idea that she was referring to the crazy feelings that have been flying between us since our rather interesting meeting in the call room.

"Gee, I don't know, Edward!" Bella giggled. "A week ago, I was so sure of everything, just going along, everything according to The Plan. I don't mean to be rude, but Forks was kind of just another stop, another step toward the end of my travels before I started something new. I wasn't expecting to just _click_ here. I wasn't expecting to feel connected in ways I have never been in the past five years. And I certainly wasn't expecting to fall in—_like_—with a fun, smart, handsome man. Feel free to stop me if I say too much."

Bella's face was a beautiful deep pink after her little soliloquy, but she kept her eyes on mine. Quintessential Bella, bold and shy all at once.

I sat on the bed with her, each of us turning to face the other. "Bella, would it help you to know that a week ago, I thought I was a happy guy. I had a job I love, a great family and wonderful friends. Then I fall in _like_ with a beautiful, confident, intelligent woman I found lurking in the call room. This past week has been amazing for me, too. I wasn't expecting you, either, but I'm not going to ignore the pull I feel when I'm with you, Bella. You feel it, don't you?"

Bella closed her eyes and smiled. "I do, Edward. I don't know what it is, but I feel it. And I want to see where it leads," she said as she looked in my eyes and ran her small hand over my scruffy jaw. "I just worry about what will happen when I leave," she began.

"Don't you worry about that now, beautiful. Let's worry about that when that time comes. Right now, it's not even June, and we have the whole summer and most of the fall. What do you say we see how things go?"

"And you're not scared that I said that I'm in _like_ with you? Most guys would be running the other way, you know."

I pulled Bella into my arms, resting my chin on her shoulder, and breathed a deep sigh. "I hope that you have noticed by now that I'm not most guys, Bella. And did you forget that I'm in _like _with you, too?"

Bella giggled at that, pulled back and kissed me. "Thanks, Edward. This really has been a bit of a surprise for me, albeit a good one. I might not always get it right, but I'm really looking forward to seeing where it all goes."

Bella leaned in again and placed a lingering kiss on my mouth. As I snaked my arm around her waist to draw her nearer to me she pulled back.

"Not a chance, Cullen! I'm going to be meeting your mom in half an hour and you are not going to go getting me all worked up! Now, on your feet, and let's get going."

"You sure are bossy when you don't get your beauty rest, Swan. Jeez!" I teased, placing her hand in mine and escorting her down the stairs.

Bella and I drove toward my parents' house. At one point, we came to a stop sign, with the choice of either turning left or right. Our destination was to the right.

"Where does the road lead if you turn left?" Bella asked.

"Eventually, you will end up at the Pacific Ocean. That's the way to La Push," I said. "As kids, we would go there and hang out, have bonfires, and try to impress the girls with our mad surfing skills."

Bella snickered. "I could see you and Jasper on boards, but Emmett? Isn't that kind of like giving ballet slippers to an elephant?"

I laughed out loud at her comment. "Actually, he was the best of the group. Who knew that the Hulk would be able to center his mass and be pretty graceful as he rode the waves?"

"Oh my! You're not kidding! That's hilarious! Well, we'll have to make it over there some time, because I have never seen the Pacific. I have to at least wade in the surf for a few minutes. I went to the Atlantic when it was twenty degrees and did one of those Polar Bear Plunges. I'll show you the pictures sometime."

Hearing Bella tell me that she had never been to the Pacific gave me an idea. One that would require my twin's help. I'd have to sneak away and ask Alice for her input later.

We made it to my parents' home a little early, and we were the first ones to arrive. I parked near the house and hopped out quickly to get Bella's door for her. It would not do to have Esme see Bella opening her own door. She was the one who would tell me, over and over, that good manners are a reflection of a person's character, and the kindnesses you afford others will be repaid a hundredfold. Plus women are suckers for chivalry-her words, not mine.

As I reached in to help Bella from the car, she offered me a somewhat nervous smile. I drew her into my arms for a reassuring hug. "My mother is about the least intimidating person you will ever meet. I should be worried about all of the ribbing I'm about to endure!" I said before bending to kiss Bella's forehead.

"I know. It's just been a while since I have done the 'meet the parents' thing. It'll be much better when everyone else gets here, I suppose," she sighed, leaning into me a bit. "Let's do this, Cullen!"

Bella's tiny hand found my own as we walked the short distance to the back porch. Mom's green thumb was evident as we passed by her raised-bed herb garden that she and Emmett had designed and built one year for Mother's Day. Gestures such as that were more Mom's style than jewelry or other gifts. Somewhere in the corner of my mind, I had the feeling that Bella was the same in that respect, and that thought comforted me in ways that I could not explain.

The door opened, and Mom greeted us, wearing her apron that simply said "The Help" in fancy script. Jasper had gotten it for her one year after one of his more snooty clients referred to Esme as 'hired help' when she was redecorating his offices. It had become a family joke since then.

"Well, hello, you two! You're a little early!" Mom said as she stepped toward us, reaching up to kiss my cheek.

"Yeah, we got a little head start this morning. Mom, this is Bella Swan. Bella, this lovely woman is my mother, Esme."

"Bella, darling, it is a pleasure to meet you!" my mother exclaimed.

"Thanks so much for having me today, Mrs. Cullen. I'm glad to meet the woman behind the best peanut butter cookie recipe ever!" Bella began, offering her hand to shake. I smiled because I knew what was coming next. A handshake simply would not do.

"First of all, it's Esme, dear. Second, the recipe was my grandmother's, and I'd be happy to share it with you. And third, welcome to our home, where we hug, not shake hands," Mom said and enveloped Bella in her arms, holding her tight and squeezing her eyes shut as she embraced her guest. When Mom finally let go, Bella laughed.

"Definitely Alice's mom. She hugs the same way!" Bella quipped.

My father came to the door, dressed in jeans and a button down shirt the color of a faded tomato. Alice must be supplementing his wardrobe these days.

"Hello, Carlisle," Bella said as we headed to the door. The scents of coffee, bacon and something sweet greeted our noses.

"Hello! How was your night with the babies in OB? It had to be more exciting than the ED. We didn't have one patient come by the whole twelve hour shift!" Carlisle said as he walked to the counter where the coffee pot sat.

Bella gave my father a genuine smile and giggled. "Sorry to hear that you were so bored! We had a busy night, but it was one of the best shifts I have ever experienced. I learned so much, and everyone was so welcoming. I hope that they'll have me back!"

"Uh oh. I don't like the sound of that! You were supposed to hate it and demand to never be floated there again, Bella! We don't want to lose someone with your skills this early in the game," Dad said, placing a cup of coffee in front of both Bella and me. She and I both reached for the creamer at the same time, our hands brushing together. I grasped hers for a quick squeeze and let her use it first, while I placed a bit of sugar into my cup. I looked up to see my dad with a bit of a smirk on his face and a twinkle in his eye. Obviously, he and Mom talked after my visit with her the other day.

"Oh, I don't think one night will change my whole life's plan, but it has given me a bit to think about," Bella said after taking a sip of her coffee.

Carlisle disappeared for a moment into the dining room, and I leaned down to whisper into her ear. "Allow me a few more nights then, Nurse Swan, and perhaps I can begin to get you to see Forks in a different light." I grazed her earlobe with my teeth and then stepped away just as Dad was entering the kitchen again.

"You don't fight fair, Cullen," she whispered, her blush pinking her cheeks beautifully. I winked and gestured toward the breakfast bar, pulling out a chair for her.

Mom came into the kitchen with a few empty trays and placed them on the counter in front of Bella and me. Her smile was wide as she looked between us, to which my eye roll seemed an appropriate response.

"So, Bella, tell me about yourself. Your family is in Phoenix, right?" Mom asked as she turned to the SubZero to get containers of fruit.

"Yes. I grew up there and went to Arizona State for my nursing degree. My dad is a detective with the Phoenix Police Department, and my mom teaches kindergarten. My Grandma Swan is down there, too."

"I've never been to Arizona. I'm sure that our weather here has you all out of sorts!" my mom said as she continued to bring things out of the refrigerator. I almost had forgotten what is required to feed Emmett.

"It's a lovely place. There are times I miss the desert, but I have gotten to see so much more. It has been amazing to make my way across the continent. I don't think I have many regrets in the last five years. But I think it's time for me to find a home of sorts, so after Forks, I have one more assignment in San Francisco, and then I will start graduate school, provided I can find a place to take me," Bella said with a shrug. I had never seen Bella with a lack of confidence in herself.

"What do you mean, 'if you can find a place to take you?' I'm fairly certain that you will have your choice of programs, Bella. The hard part will be deciding which to turn down," I said, wanting to reassure her with an embrace, but settling for a gentle squeeze of her shoulder.

Bella took a drink of her coffee and smiled up at me. "You found my weak spot, Edward. I have this irrational fear that after all of my planning, I won't get admitted to a good program. And you know how I am about my plan." She turned to Mom and sighed. "I am terribly anal retentive, I'm afraid. Everything about the past five years has been orchestrated well in advance, and sometimes, going out on a ledge and altering The Plan scares the crap out of me."

Mom let out a little laugh. "Oh, Bella, try not to get yourself all worked up over nothing. I'm sure if you were to sit down and analyze things, you'd find that you are more prepared for the next part of your journey than you initially led yourself to believe."

Bella seemed to reflect on that for a moment. I could see what Mom was trying to do, and I was grateful for her efforts to encourage Bella to concentrate more on the present, rather than the next stop. I made up my mind to help Bella to see that Forks could be more than a six-month assignment.

_**Bella**_

Just like everything else in this corner of the world, Esme Cullen, within a matter of moments, made me feel completely as if I belonged here. That feeling was something that I could discern way down in the marrow of my bones. I closed my eyes and shook the feeling off for the time being.

"Thank you for that, Esme. Maybe it is time to live a little," I said as I smirked at the green-eyed god next to me.

"Bella? Would you mind if I dragged Edward away for a few moments for a little shop talk? I have the CVs of the applicants for the position in the ED. HR forwarded them to me, and I thought I'd go over them with both Edward and James before they made it here for the interviews." Carlisle said, apologetically.

"Nope. I can handle myself with this wicked woman you call a wife," I said, winking at Esme. She laughed at my attempt to malign her. "I think we have an Emmett to feed!"

Esme continued smiling as she prepared all of the ingredients for crepes next to her cooktop. "You are very perceptive, Bella. My eldest son is a bottomless pit. I think he must have inherited it from my Uncle Adam. He made a career out of eating as a food critic."

"That explains a lot, Esme!" I snickered as I began to look at all of the food that was laid out over the surface of the huge island. "What do you need me to do?"

Esme handed me some skewers. "We'll start with some fruit kabobs, I think. I have a breakfast casserole in the oven, plenty of bacon and sausage for the boys, blueberry and banana nut muffins, and we'll have lemon crepes as well. And of course, mimosas! The crepes are already made, but I have to make the filling and make some whipped cream."

"Whipped cream? There's a job for Emmett. I taught him how to make that the other night when the gang was around for dinner. He did well, and was very serious about the sprinkles!"

"Oh yes, Emmett can be quite particular about those, I'm afraid. One time, when I bought a container of rainbow ones, he insisted upon sorting them by color. His plan was to make a mosaic on his birthday cake. I have a picture in the hall. It was spectacular!"

I was placing the fruit onto the sticks, chatting with Esme about decorating and the house I currently occupied. She launched into an animated speech about the condition of the place when it was bought, and the joy of discovering all of the hidden treasures covered up from a bad renovation in the '70s. She and Emmett were able to restore most of the original elements of the house, with such modern enhancements such as the kitchen and the master bath. I couldn't help but gush about how much I loved the house, and about how fortunate I felt to be spending my time in Forks living there.

"Well, I'm glad that you like it so much, dear. Emmett and I created the spaces to be used and adored. I always envisioned myself sitting on the porch swing, enjoying a drink and a book."

"That's exactly what I thought when I first drove up! I haven't had the chance to do that yet, but the summer is young," I said wistfully. Esme smiled a bit and looked at my progress.

"You know, kiwi, watermelon, and strawberries are Edward's favorite, if you want to make a few for him. He will pick the others off anyway," Esme offered with a knowing smile. I blushed a bit and heeded her suggestion, making three kabobs for Edward.

Just as I was putting the last skewer onto one of the antique-looking trays that Esme had set out, I heard the sound of cars in the driveway. I followed Edward's mother to the porch, where we were greeted by a jubilant Alice.

"Hi, Mom!" Alice said as she enveloped her mother in a hug. "I can smell the casserole from here! Jasper will love it! I brought a few swatches for you to look at for your dress. I know the wedding is a year away, but the simple details I'd like to get out of the way early so that I can concentrate on the big stuff."

I smiled at Alice's stream of conscience conversation with Esme. I briefly imagined Esme being much the same way.

"Bella! I'm so glad to see that you made it this morning! Did you have a good night at work?" Alice asked as her little arms squeezed me, freakishly strong.

"Good to see you too!" I replied, returning the hug. "I was floated to OB for the night since the ED was so slow. It was a busy twelve hours, but I learned a lot, and got to help in a delivery."

"And… Edward made peanut butter cookies for her and surprised her with them," Esme said with a smile. When Alice heard this, her face lit up with a smile as well, while mine just lit up with a blush.

Jasper joined us on the porch and we all exchanged greetings. Rose and Emmett had arrived as well, but seemed to be talking on the phone with someone. Emmett waved and indicated with his hand that they'd be in shortly.

As we entered the kitchen, Alice linked her arm in mine.

"Bella, I have some pictures from the other night for you. You'll have to give me your email so that I can send you the files. I think you'll like them!"

Alice then gave me an envelope. Inside, I found about twenty pictures taken with Alice's camera. I really hadn't even had time to download what I had taken that evening. Esme and Alice looked over my shoulder as I took the photos out and began to peruse them. The first one was of Jasper and me with our favorite As Seen On TV items. Next were a few more random shots, and then a picture of Emmett, hard at work on the ice cream cake. Another one of him and the sprinkles had Esme laughing out loud. Alice had managed to capture one of Rosalie looking blissful as she gazed at her man, his brow furrowed in concentration as he completed his task of decorating the dessert. One I remembered taking of Alice and Jasper was next, her eyes closed in laughter as he pressed his forehead to her temple.

The next picture caused me to gasp, then blush. Edward was sitting facing me, his arm casually around my waist, and I was facing the camera, a goofy, happy smile on my lips. What had made me gasp was the look of utter adoration in Edward's eyes. It was the look of someone in love.

Esme looked at Alice, then she walked around to the other side of the island, busying herself with the ingredients for the crepes while Alice gave me a quick squeeze and leaned in close.

"I've never seen him so happy, Bella. _You_ put that look on his face. Thank you."

"Um, you're welcome?" I said, as if asking a question. I wasn't sure what to say, my eyes still looking at the picture with wonder. How on earth can I be the one to make him that happy after a week? How has he made me this happy? I pushed those thoughts aside as I placed the pictures back in the envelope and turned to Jasper, who was getting coffee for both Alice and himself.

"Good to see you, Jasper! Have you convinced Alice to let you register for a Slap Chop and the industrial pack of ShamWOWs yet?" I asked with a giggle. Alice shot me a look of mock-horror and Jasper just sighed.

"From your lips to God's ears, Bella. I do believe my fiancée is a little on the snobby side. But I will try my best to sway her opinion. How was work last night? Alice said that you had traded with Ange so that she and Ben could go to a club. And before you ask, yes, Alice knows _everything, _sometimes even before it happens," the Texas boy said as he ducked a blow from Edward's twin.

"Now Jasper, that just isn't fair. The only reason I knew Bella was on last night was because Ange dropped by the shop and mentioned that she and Ben were headed to a show, and she was so grateful that Bella was able to switch with her."

Jasper smiled behind his mug, watching Alice become more animated as she tried to defend herself. In the end, she gave up.

"Fine. I can't help it if people tell me things. And it's good business sense to remember the little things and file them away. You never know when things might come in handy, and people appreciate it when you recall details. It makes them feel special!" Alice half smiled, half pouted.

"I understand, Alice," I said, attempting to make her feel better as I carried a tray of fruit kabobs to the table. "I do the same thing as a nurse. It's about gaining trust. A lot of the time, I have only a few minutes to try to assess the situation and use any and all information I have to make the situation better. Even the little things are important."

"That's so very true, Bella," Esme said from her spot by the stove. "I mean, I guess that listening to what your patients tell you, and sometimes don't tell you can be as much of a diagnostic tool as an x-ray is."

"Yeah, Mr. Bigshot Lawyer. What she said," Alice said and stuck her tongue out at Jasper.

"Darlin', I never said that there was anything wrong with your ability to recall even the tiniest detail. I just like to see you get all worked up, that's all," Jasper smirked.

Just then, the door opened, and Emmett walked in.

"I do NOT want to hear about my little sister getting all worked up from my soon to be brother-in-law. That's just wrong on so many levels," Emmett said. The comment was immediately followed by a smack to the back of his head that knocked off his ever-present Mariners ball cap by Rosalie.

"Good morning, everyone. Please excuse Emmett's lack of verbal filter. Birth defect, right Esme?" Rose said, taking her sunglasses off and placing them into her leather bag.

Esme wiped her hands on a towel and came across the room to hug Emmett and Rose, pausing to reprimand her son with a gentle tap to the back of his head as well. "We love him anyway, Rose."

As Alice and I continued to load the table with the brunch items, Rose sidled up next to me and gave me a hug.

"It's good to see you, Bella! What's up?"

"Nothing much, just coming off a very busy night shift. I'm glad I won't be missing much today while I sleep since it's supposed to rain."

Alice giggled. "Bella, it always rains in Forks! But I hear it is supposed to clear for tonight. The rest of the week is looking soggy."

"Alice, you watch too much of The Weather Channel, honey. Esme, where are Carlisle and the young Dr. Cullen? Emmett and I want to share our news. And no, I'm not pregnant," Rose said, rolling her eyes at Jasper as his eyes bulged from their sockets a bit at the mention of 'news.'

My back was to the entryway where Carlisle and Edward had disappeared earlier. As I continued to help Esme finish setting all of the items out for brunch, I swear I felt Edward's presence. I casually looked over my shoulder and was greeted with a captivating stare from a pair of green eyes. I felt the heat rise to my cheeks as he winked at me.

Edward stood in the doorway and I took note of how he looked. He certainly wasn't as muscular as Emmett, and was slightly shorter than Jasper, but his ability to take the very air from my lungs with his dangerous good looks remained. He stood casually, his hands gripping the top of the doorframe, and his right knee bent with the toe of his shoe touching the heel of his left foot. My eyes travelled up his frame, noting his toned runner's calves, the small amount of hair on them looking almost golden in the light. His longer, baggy shorts hid the delicious thighs I knew to be there. Those shorts hung low on his hips, and the way he stretched his arms overhead made his shirt ride up, flashing the cut of his V and the strip of hair that meandered from his navel to points south of his waistband. My eyes continued upward, drinking in the defined curve of his biceps as they flowed to his shoulders. Finally, I noticed his collarbones, his neck, and his jaw, scruffy as he hadn't shaved in a few days. I closed my eyes briefly, as if I was steeling myself to look at his achingly beautiful face. When I opened my eyes, a ghost of a smile passed over my lips as we stared at each other. Edward was unbelievably hot. And I had totally just eyefucked him in front of his mother. Oh, I was _so_ going to hell.

"What's this I hear about non-pregnant news?" Carlisle asked from behind Edward, who had given me another wink and made his way into the kitchen, sparing the cells responsible for my blush from any additional effort as I gazed at his delightful form. I looked up to see Rosalie and Emmett looking at me, then saw Emmett elbow Rose. And then they both smiled at me. Did Emmett hear us yesterday morning from my front porch? _Oh, just kill me now_.

"Well, Rose and I went to see a property out west of town. The old Williamson orchard? The orchard itself is in pretty decent shape, despite having been neglected for the past fifteen years or so. The house needs quite a bit of work, but nothing I can't handle. There is a separate building that housed the business end of the orchard that needs minimal work, as well. Rose and I have made an offer to buy it. We fell in love with the land, and the old house is something that you and I will be able to work our magic on, Mom."

Esme clapped her hands. "I know the orchard. I visited there a few times before you were born. I can't wait to see what you both have planned!"

Esme recruited Emmett to show off his new skills at making the perfect whipped cream. The conversation then fell into a comfortable buzz about modernizing plumbing, converting one of the six bedrooms into a closet for Rose, much like what was done in my place, and the prospects about leasing the orchard to someone interested in such things. It took me a minute, but I noticed that Edward and Alice were absent. I looked, and saw through the window Edward placing something in his trunk and shutting it. Alice then linked her arm in his as they came back to the house.

_**Edward**_

"I think Bella will love a picnic dinner on the beach, Edward! You are a romantic who is just a late bloomer. Scratch that. You were just waiting around for the perfect girl so that you could bloom," my sister babbled as she opened her car and retrieved the special picnic blanket I knew she always kept there.

I rubbed the back of my neck and smiled. "At the risk of sounding like I need to hand in my Y-chromosome, she is perfect for me, I think."

"Now why is it that guys automatically think that if you do something romantic or caring for someone, in particular, a woman, that it is unmanly? I happen to think that showing someone that you care for them is one of the most selfless things you can do. People can't read minds, Edward. You cultivate relationships, _cultivate_ _love_, by actions and communication. You are being more of a man by letting Bella know that you enjoy her company. And there is not one thing wrong with that. There. Rant over."

I laughed and took a step away from Alice the Love Doctor. Offering her my arm, we walked back to the house after we placed the blanket into the trunk of my car.

My eyes sought Bella before Alice and I even made it in the door. My sister looked up at me and squeezed my arm and headed to the bar area in the dining room, no doubt to prepare her famous mimosas. I found Rosalie and Emmett chatting with Bella about the orchard. As I got closer to her, I reached out to Bella, lightly massaging her shoulders. She seemed to melt into my touch, looking up at me and winking. I stood behind her, continuing my efforts on her muscles and briefly burying my nose in her hair. Emmett looked at me, and with a wink and a smile, I knew that he wanted to engage me in further discussion. I politely rolled my eyes at him and gave Bella's shoulders a final squeeze. She, however, remained close to me, and she reached back to tangle her fingers with mine.

"Okay, everyone, grab a plate and help yourselves. Alice is on mimosa duty," Mom instructed us as she began to fill the crepes and put them on the platter in front of her.

"I made a few fruit kabobs with only your favorites on them," Bella said softly to me as she handed me a plate. She winked and continued, "Esme may have filled me in on a few secrets."

"Should I be afraid?" I chuckled. Bella looked up at me with a smirk.

"Not too much. I think I still have lots to uncover," she said as she placed a piece of melon between her lips, licking the juice suggestively. It was at that time Emmett joined us. Unfortunately.

"So, Bro, where were you yesterday morning? Rose and I stopped by before we dropped off the lawnmower at Bella's. I didn't think you were scheduled to go in," Emmett said a little loudly. I noticed a brief look of panic flash across Bella's face, and the curious eyes of my sister.

"I was out," was all I managed to say before Alice butted into the conversation.

"Did you get in that run you were talking about, Edward? I'm so glad that you aren't the stereotypical doctor golfer, out at 6AM hitting the links," Alice said without missing a beat. She did shoot me a look that told me that I would have to 'fess up to her.

"Hey, baby girl, I happen to be one of those stereotypical doctor golfers, thank you very much," Carlisle said as he loaded his plate with fruit and crepes. "It keeps me sane."

Esme laughed as she continued to put together more crepes. "Yes, and I think it also keeps the wives in their right mind, as well.

Bella smiled a bit nervously as she finished getting her food and we all made our way to the dining room, where Alice had placed very generous portions of mimosas out for us.

Rosalie sat next to Emmett, who shamelessly had two plates in front of him. To her left was Jasper, then my dad at the head of the table. Alice, myself, and Bella sat on the other side of the table, with my mom at the other end.

Conversation flowed from one topic to the next seamlessly. We filled Bella in on life in our small town, touching on subjects as varied as you could get. The food my mother had prepared was delicious, as usual, and Emmett filled his plates a second time as we began discussing one of his and my dad's favorite shows.

"I still think you should try out for the show, son," Dad said, pushing his plate back and resting his forearms on the table. "I would be such a fun trip!"

My father and Emmett were obsessed with Ninja Warrior, where competitors try their luck at the ultimate obstacle course. It was a Japanese show, but occasionally, there were Americans who try out.

"I've looked into it, but there aren't any tryouts anywhere in the States. Maybe I will make my own course out at the orchard. There's gotta be a website that shows how to make the various obstacles. I think you and I could come up with something great, Dad!"

Bella laughed, because her friend Jake was a big fan as well. Apparently, Emmett and Jacob could have been separated at birth, they were so much alike.

Dad and Emmett continued to discuss their plans for their obstacles while Jasper eagerly added his opinions as Alice exchanged seats with our big brother and settled herself next to Rose.

"I am so glad that Glenda is going to foster Janie and her baby," Bella said, changing the subject.

"Glenda and Johnny have so much love to give. I couldn't think of a better place for them," I said, giving Bella's knee a squeeze. I knew that Janie's situation had been weighing on her mind.

"The whole situation touched me. It is a difficult enough situation, but to be all alone," Bella said, her voice trailing off.

"Without saying too much, Glenda and Johnny are going to foster a young girl and the baby that Bella delivered the other day. There are some family issues that need to be sorted out, but essentially, the girl is all alone," I explained to the ladies.

"Well, the girl will be in good hands, for sure," Mom commented.

I sat back and listened to the conversations around me, Bella fitting in seamlessly with my family. From time to time, I caught her eye. She would wink or smile as she bit her lip as she smiled at me. Mom was watching us as well, and as she got up from her chair, she patted my hand and kissed my head with the affection of a blissfully happy mother.

"Ladies, I am going out onto the porch to enjoy the beautiful day before the rain clouds move in. Would you care to join me?" Mom asked. Bella smiled and Alice pecked Jasper on the lips as she moved toward the other room

Dad, Jasper, Emmett and I all helped to clear the dishes and clean the kitchen as we encouraged Mom to sit and enjoy the company of the Bella and Alice. They exchanged their mimosas for water or tea and headed out to the porch while Rose stayed behind, her arms wrapped around my brother's waist as he told us about the orchard and the timeline for completing the work on the house.

After a lull in the conversation, the Spanish Inquisition began.

"So, Eddie," Emmett began. "Did you have a nice run yesterday?"

"I'm not going to bite, Em."

"You don't have to," he said with a wink.

"What are you boys talking about?" my dad asked. I gave Emmett the death glare. It seemed to work, for the time being.

"Nothing. I'm just giving Edward a hard time. He and Bella have been spending a lot of time together and I thought that he was going to ask her to be his running partner, that's all."

"I think it's nice that you two have hit it off, Edward. Bella is such a nice person. She's strong and funny, and not intimidated by the stupidity that comes from this one here," Rose said as she squeezed Emmett tightly. "She seems to fit in seamlessly here with us, don't you think?"

Jasper smiled as he finished putting the last of the food into the refrigerator. "Alice and I were talking about that last night. We were printing out pictures from dinner on Friday and just laughing about how much fun we would have had if Bella had grown up here with the rest of us. Alice already considers her a sister, practically."

I groaned. "Does Bella know this?" I chuckled as I looked again to her on the porch with Mom and Alice. She seemed to be having a great time, laughing at my expense more than likely. I caught her eye and she gave me a breathtaking smile that I couldn't help but return.

Rose kissed Emmett on the cheek and went to join the other ladies on the porch, the roaring laughter coming to a crescendo as the door opened and Rose exited.

Wiping the island down from all of the crepe ingredients, Dad looked at the three of us standing in front of him and said, "Boys, Grandpa Platt gave me many bits of advice over the years. Some were solicited. Some were not. This ranks in the top three, I'd have to say: a happy woman means a happy home. And I'm not talking about sex, although that is important."

Emmett immediately spoke up for Jasper and me. "Dude, my ears! They are BURNING! Stop the sex talk about my mom!"

Dad winked and threw the washrag into the sink, rinsed it and hung it over the center, just like Mom liked it to be done. "Son, just keep Rose happy and life will be good. Sometimes, it's the little things, like the toilet seat and the dishrag. That's all I'm saying. And Edward, when were you going to tell me about you and Bella?"

I scrubbed my hands across my face and ran my hands through my hair. Dad smirked at me and I could tell he was kidding. There wasn't any policy forbidding fraternization amongst staff members. He was simply reminding me that he shared genetic material with Emmett by giving me a hard time.

At that moment, a loud roar of laughter came through the door as the ladies entered the kitchen.

"Let me get your email and I will forward all of Ginger's information to you. I know that she'd love to have you out to show you her space and to set up some times to throw some clay. She's such a fantastic person!" Mom gushed. I think her mimosas were reaching their peak effect.

"Sure!" Bella giggled. _Mimosa victim number two. _"It's andabagofchips at gmail dot com."

The rest of us all either laughed or gasped.

"Shut. The. Hell. Up!" Mom squealed, slapping the table emphatically.

"Mom! My God!" I said loudly. Alice just snickered and Dad placed a glass of water in front of my tipsy maternal unit. Bella's eyes went wide and looked toward me with concern. I smiled sheepishly at her once everyone began to laugh harder.

"I think I should explain. What would you say if I told you that my email address is at gmail dot com?"

"All that and a bag of chips?" Bella half mumbled half laughed. "You have got to be kidding me! There is no freaking way! How did you get that address?"

Alice just smiled at me knowingly as she wrapped her arms around Jasper's waist. Emmett hugged Rose from behind, his chin on her shoulder. Dad sat next to Mom, as I took the seat next to Bella.

"When I started med school down at Stanford, one of the guys in my Gross Anatomy lab group, Marcus, started calling me Dr. All That and A Bag of Chips, but it got to be too wordy. He was so sad to find out that I was straight, but decided to keep calling me Dr. All That. It stuck. He and I are still good friends," I explained with a smile. I was looking forward to introducing Marcus and Bella when she went to San Francisco, if only so that he could be a friendly face for her at the large medical center.

"Oh, that Marcus! He is such a dear heart! When will he and Alistair be visiting again? Those boys are like family, Bella. Truly, just gems! Oh, and if your last assignment is in San Francisco, then you can have some friends when you arrive. Well, that settles it. I will call them tomorrow and try to find out when their schedules are free and…"

"I think we have plenty of time before Bella goes to California, Esme. Here, drink some water. I think you got a little ahead of yourself with the mimosas, dear. How many did you have, anyway?" my dad asked. I shot him a look of gratefulness and turned to Bella with a silly smile.

Bella grinned back. "What makes you 'andabagofchips' then, Nurse Swan?" asked Alice, who was doing her best not to fall over in hysterics with Mom and her inebriated ramblings and Dad's efforts to gracefully save face.

"I got that nickname from two very dirty old men. One was a well-respected judge who had been retired from the bench for about ten years and the other was a rabbi. They were roommates in the rehab facility where I was doing one of my nursing clinical rotations. I was, apparently, the talk of the rec room after the students left that first clinical day. Judge Reece, who by the way, is friends with my _father, _taking the 'eew' factor of this story up a few notches, was telling all of the other male patients about his student nurse that was a 'purty little thing.' Rabbi Cohen told the other old perverts that I was 'all that and a bag of chips' when the others looked to the Holy Man for confirmation."

"A judge and a rabbi? This sounds like a really bad joke! I hope you put them in their place!" Rose said, rolling her eyes and barely disguising her disdain. She had an especially low tolerance for sexist men.

Bella nodded furiously, buzz still in place. "Charlie Swan didn't raise a fool! I reminded them that I was in charge of their care, including their sponge baths, for the next few weeks, and I could easily change assignments with Freddie or his boyfriend, Dave. From that moment on, Reece, Cohen and I were best friends. Actually, I still correspond a couple of times a week with them. I helped them set up their email accounts, which is where I got the name for mine."

My mom let out a ladylike snort and started to giggle again. She looked straight at Bella and said, "I like you, Bella. You're so good for my Edward. I can tell that already. And you will make beeyootiful grandbabies, won't they, Carlisle?"

Bella's eyes went wide with embarrassment as she blushed. Jasper flat out laughed, loudly, as Dad gently helped Mom to her feet, patting her back with a smirk on his face.

"You know what, Dear, why don't we go and sit inside for a while, or maybe go rest a bit? I think the kids were just getting ready to head out. Bella needs to sleep and I know Rose and Emmett have their plans for the new place to firm up. Jasper and Alice have all those wedding details to check off as well, right kids?" Dad jabbered as he guided Mom out of the room, smiling over his shoulder. We all burst into laughter once we heard the door to their room click shut.

_**Bella**_

Esme and I _may_ have indulged a bit too much in Alice's mimosas. I don't know what she put in them. I mean, I thought they were just champagne and orange juice, but I was beginning to understand that "ordinary" was not in the Cullen vocabulary. The cocktails were probably made from thousand-dollar bottles of champagne and juice squeezed by cherubs summoned by God Himself. They were just _sooo _good and it helped take the edge off the nerves, I will admit.

As Esme, Alice, and I sat on the porch, taking in the late May blooms, we seemed to talk and laugh about most everything under the sun. I sank into the rocking chair and felt as comfortable as if I had just slipped on my favorite pair of jeans, soft and worn in all the right places. We talked excitedly about the orchard as Rosalie joined us, more about the dreams that she and Emmett had for the property. It was impossible not to share in their enthusiasm. The closing date was soon, and the couple wanted to throw a party as soon as possible, even though they were months away from being able to live there. Rose suggested that she and Emmett host a birthday party for Alice and Edward, which Alice immediately loved. There was quite a bit to do in the three weeks before their birthday, but Emmett and Esme had worked on tighter deadlines. They were more than up for the task.

After my mortification over Esme's comments died away a bit and my buzz effectively killed somewhat by Emmett's loud guffaws and him ruffling my hair like a kid as I hid my perma-blushed face in my hands, Edward's family pretty much let out a collective sigh.

"Bella," Edward began in a soft, tentative voice, "I think that between the drinks and your lack of sleep, now might be a good time to get you home."

"Oh, shut it, Emoward. She's just fine. Esme was drinking from the bottle out on the porch, and we all know how bubbly she gets with the bubbly. We were passing it around like a good old La Push bonfire out there," Rose said with a grin. "Gotta say, B, you and Mama C make for some good drunken chatter!"

My eyes went wide and I put my head in my hands again. Edward patted me on my back, seemingly not knowing what else to do. We all stood and made our way out the door and over to the cars.

"Rose, quit embarrassing the girl! Edward, take Bella home so that she can get back to some regular sleep schedule. And don't forget the pictures I brought for you, Bella. They are by the door. I emailed the files to you, Edward. I'll be in touch about the birthday party. A cookout sounds like a bit of fun. You think Dad and James can work it so they can split a shift or something?"

"I'm sure that we can work something out, Alice. But you are right. I think Bella is about to fall asleep. Rose, Emmett, let us know what you need us to do for the party. I have some mornings free this week, so maybe you can take me out to show me the property."

Edward slid his arms around me from behind, and _damn_ if it wasn't the most secure, natural feeling in the world. I felt myself sigh as I sunk into his chest.

"That sounds like a plan. J, you in too, man? We can start scouting out where we want to put our obstacle course. Did I tell you that there are two ponds?" Emmett's face was lit up like a boy's on Christmas, dreaming of all of the possibilities.

"I think my schedule is pretty light this week and next, with the holiday and all. Just let me know when you'd like to go. Bella, it was great seeing you again. Don't let these Cullens embarrass you. It really is some twisted form of love for them. As for Esme," Jasper said, shaking his head, a smile gracing his lips, "she certainly is special. If she didn't feel comfortable with you, she wouldn't have cut loose like that. Hell, I think it took her at least a year before she started calling my parents by their first names. You're in like Flynn, girlie."

I smiled the last of my mimosa buzz at Jasper, gave hugs to Alice and Rose and blushed at Emmett as he mentioned something about catching Edward early one morning and hoping that he could find him before he went "running."

"That was fun," I said with a tone mixed with exasperation and chagrin as we drove back to town through the beautiful evergreen forest.

"Jasper's right, you know," Edward said as he reached for my hand across the center console and pulled it to his leg. "If my mom had the slightest hesitation about you, she would have only had orange juice and would have kept you at arm's length. She likes you, Bella. She likes the idea of you with me. So when she pulled me aside and told me, and I quote, 'Don't screw this up!' I have to believe that she was sincere."

I laughed. Esme was sincere. This I knew. She couldn't keep from gushing about how happy Edward has been since we met, or about how their heart to heart the other day just made her smile to know that someone had captured his heart so quickly and thoroughly. To which I responded, with Alice and Rose in attendance, that I had never felt this attracted to anyone, either. The whole conversation was aided immensely by the bottle of champagne that was being passed from woman to woman. I think the frankness and honesty would have been present even if the alcohol hadn't, though. Those women had a way of dragging it out of you.

"I know, Edward," I replied with a squeeze of his fingers. I lazily leaned my head back against the headrest and watched him as he navigated us back to our neighborhood. "I had a wonderful time talking with all of the girls. They made me feel very welcome here in Forks. I'm going to lunch with your mom sometime this week and she is going to introduce me to a friend of hers who has a pottery studio. I can't wait to get my hands dirty again."

Edward turned his head and smiled at me. He really was a beautiful specimen of a human being. Waking up next to him had been such a treat yesterday morning. In my sleep-addled mind, I had a flash of waking next to him, only to be trounced by children in the early morning sun, giggles and deep belly laughs thrown in the mix.

Where did _that _comefrom?

Edward let go of my hand for a moment to adjust the air conditioning, then placed it on my shoulder, weaving it in my hair. I settled mine in a comfortable place on his thigh, half on his shorts, half on his leg. I was feeling so naughty, but also was exhausted beyond belief. I let my fingers tickle his leg anyway.

"So what are your plans for the rest of the day? It looks like it is supposed to rain soon, but it's supposed to clear for dinnertime. Were you going to sleep through to tomorrow?" Edward asked as he gently massaged my scalp with his long fingers. I was putty in the man's hands. It was damn near orgasmic, and if he kept it up much longer, I was going to have to ask him to pull over so that he could finish what he started.

"Mmmm, no," I half purred like a cat in heat before I came to my senses. "I will just catch a nap and then try to get back to a normal sleep schedule since I'm on days this week until the weekend. If I need a nap tomorrow, I'll get one. What about you?"

"Well, I work night shift tomorrow night and Tuesday night, then I have Wednesday off, then day shift with you on Thursday. Then we both have Friday off before working nights on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday."

"Oh, that's right. I almost forgot it was Memorial Day."

"Yeah. But I was hoping that if you weren't too tired, I could take you for a one of a kind experience this evening for dinner after your nap. Maybe around 6 o'clock or so? Will that give you enough time to get refreshed from the drunken state you've gotten yourself into?" Edward said with a laugh.

"Watch it, Dr. Cullen. You do realize I haven't said yes to your date," I said in mock sternness as I attempted to squeeze his thigh. Sweet baby Jesus, it was doing me absolutely no good getting all horned up because I was truly about to pass out from exhaustion. His thigh was muscular and adorned with the perfect amount of hair and, just, unffffff. "Besides, it was the Cullen women who got me drunk!"

He gave the back of my neck a light squeeze as he turned the Volvo onto my street. "I had no idea that they didn't know how to play well with others."

"Unlike yourself?" I teased, a sleepy smile floating across my face as we pulled in to my driveway.

"Now, Bella," Edward said in a low voice low and full of sex after he put the car in park and turned off the ignition. Interesting. Was he staying? Perhaps walking me up to tuck me in? "I think you are well aware of my ability to play."

I leaned over and kissed him softly on his delicious bottom lip, sucking on it as he pulled on the hair at the nape of my neck. His groan let me know that either we needed to stop what we were doing or take ourselves inside so we didn't give the neighbors some kind of show.

"Tell you what. As much as I really would like to continue this, I am so tired that I am barely even able to keep my eyes open."

Edward smoothed my hair away from my face, which was so soothing that I felt my resolve weakening, and was close to begging him to come nap with me. I smiled at him and used all of my strength to slowly pull away from him.

"I know, Sweetheart. I'll walk you to the door, though, ok? I have some things to do to get ready for our date tonight, anyway," Edward said with a happy grin.

"That sounds like a plan, Dr. Cullen. Maybe we can snuggle later on this evening?" I asked, my voice full of hope.

"Definitely, Nurse Swan. Anything you say. But for now, to bed with you! Sadly, without me," he said as he opened his door.

As we climbed the steps of my porch hand in hand, I sighed. "I had a fantastic time today, Edward. Truly. Your mom is a peach. Not many girls can say that they got tipsy with their boyfriend's mom the first time they met her."

Edward drew me into his arms after we entered the foyer, placing his mouth near my ear. "Boyfriend, huh?"

Blushing, I just let go. "Yes. Boyfriend. You are my boyfriend. I am your girlfriend. It's been a ridiculously short time and I have decided that I don't care. I'll pass you notes between patients and leave them in your locker as well. It's all terribly high school, isn't it?"

"Not at all, Love. I'm looking forward to doodling your name on my notebook. I've already marked you with my name on your back with my t-shirt. Next up, hickies and fooling around in the backseat, okay?"

"You're on, handsome," I said and leaned in to kiss him as he walked me to the stairs. I stepped up the first one so that I was a little closer in height to him and continued to nibble on Edward's lips, his jaw, his neck as I felt his hands rove all over my hips and ass.

"Bella," he said in a semi-warning tone, "go to sleep so that you'll be able to go out tonight."

"Okay, okay. Here. Tuck me in, but take my keys to lock up after yourself, alright?" I begged, trying my best to pout.

Edward rolled his gorgeous green eyes at me and took the keys. "Fine, but I'm just _tucking_ you in. Not something else that _rhymes_ with tucking, got it?"

I let out a loud laugh as I jogged up the remaining stairs to my room and tossed my sweater and the envelope of pictures Alice gave me on my dresser. Edward took his shoes off and sat on my bed, making himself most comfy as he leaned back against the pillows.

"Um, dude, I thought you had details to attend to? I seem to remember the phrase 'tucking and not something that rhymes with it' falling from your lips not three minutes ago," I snarked as I picked up a pair of sleep shorts and a cami, heading for the bathroom.

"I know, but I thought I would just snuggle you until you fall asleep. Research shows that people sleep better with a partner."

"Cullen, you are so full of shit!" I called from the bathroom. I finished using the facilities, washed my hands and face, and gathered my dress to hang back up. Upon opening the door, I spied Edward lying curled on his side, smiling, waiting for my return. It was something I wanted to see forever.

He patted the space beside him and pulled the light summer blanket I had at the bottom of the bed up around his waist. It was the lazy, sleepy, crooked smile that did me in, though.

I slid into bed, fitting into Edward, just _fitting. _He kissed my head and murmured something, but I didn't hear exactly what he said, because I was too busy falling asleep, thinking that San Francisco was probably not going to be my next stop, but rather, I had reached the end of my travels and found a home.

**Thanks again for sticking with me. I'd love to hear from you, whether through a review or via twitter. I'm aciepey there. I'm locked, but will follow you back, ok?**

**Go read these:**

_**Evermore Experience**_** by de Jean Smith on FFn.**

_**No Choice**_** by glasscannonlj on FFn.**

_**In the Deepest Space**_** by loss4words on FFn and Twilighted.**


	11. Chapter 11

**Wow. It has been a while, and for that, I apologize. I can't give you a hard and fast update schedule, although I can say that it won't have the quick turnaround like 'Twice in a Lifetime.' If you are bothering to read this, then you do have patience, and I thank you very much!**

**Eons ago, Twisherry, valenid16 and myheroin1 looked over this for me. Any mistakes that are left are mine. **

**The world of Twilight belongs to Stephenie Meyer. What happens to her characters here is my fabrication.**

* * *

_**Bella**_

I woke up to an empty bed. My phone was next to me, as was a note written in Edward's neat script.

_Bella-_

_I stayed until you were asleep. I could barely pull myself away, but I know that we will have a great time this evening. Dress in shorts and a t-shirt, and bring a hoodie. I will pick you up at 6 o'clock. We have a short drive, and then we can check another thing off your list._

_You are stunning when you sleep. I adore having you in my arms. _

_Love-_

_Edward_

I thought that my face would split in two from the smile that formed there. Love notes? _Swoon!_ Despite the fact that I just woke up, I felt all giddy, as if I might just bounce right off the bed. I rubbed my eyes and immediately realized my mistake in not taking out my contacts. One of these days, I would learn.

I grabbed my phone as I slid from my bed and padded across the antique wood floors to my bathroom. It was already 4:30, and I needed to make a phone call before he came by to pick me up. I was feeling surprisingly refreshed from the short nap. After I changed into a pair of shorts and a shirt, I ditched my contacts, headed downstairs with my glasses, and dialed my grandma.

"Hi, GramMarie!" I said when I heard her answer the line.

"Well hello yourself, Bella Marie! How's Washington? Your mom showed me the pictures of your place, honey. It is beautiful! I can't wait to visit!" my grandma began chattering at me.

"You're going to visit? When?" I asked. This was news to me.

"Oh, your dad mentioned something about coming up for a football game in the fall. I figured that I would join the party!"

"GramMarie! Nothing is for sure yet! Heck, it was just mentioned in passing, I think. Gosh! Remind me to tell Daddy and Jake to keep their mouths shut!"

My grandma just chuckled. "You know how Jakey gets at the mention of anything having to do with football, honey. I think he's just excited. I saw him earlier in the week. He said that your landlord is a nice fellow and offered to let him and your dad watch the Cardinals and the Seattle team from the penthouse seats his family has."

It was my turn to laugh. "I think they are called Sky Box seats, not penthouse seats, GramMarie. And Emmett did offer, but nothing else has been mentioned."

"Well maybe not to you, but Jakey and Emmett have been emailing back and forth like mad. Those boys were born to be friends!"

I suppressed a giggle as I thought about the morning conversation about Ninja Warrior and the obsession Emmett had with the show. Maybe my grandma was right.

"Tell me about work, sweetie. Do you like it? Are you making friends? It's a small town, isn't it?" she fired away.

"Things are really good, Gram. I have met some wonderful people, both at work and around town. I work with Emmett's dad and brother. They are both doctors. His sister owns a clothing shop in town, and her fiancé is a lawyer here. Emmett's fiancée is the real estate agent that I dealt with. We all had brunch this morning at Emmett's parent's house."

"And are there any cute boys? I only ask because I'm getting old and would like to see a great-grandchild before I leave this earth, Bella," GramMarie said in a half-mocking tone.

"Oh, Gram. Stop it! If I tell you before I tell Mom, I will never hear the end of it!"

"So there IS someone!"

"It's new, Gram. I've been here for a week, and he's thrown me for a complete loop. Please don't mention anything to Mom, okay? I know she means well, but she can be kind of pushy. I think I need your perspective on this," I said, feeling my palms begin to sweat as I fiddled with the pictures that Alice gave me this morning. My heart began to beat faster as my eyes settled on the picture of Edward and me together looking happy and in _love._

Gram's voice was smooth and caring as she talked to me. "How can I help you, sweetie? My infinite wisdom is at your disposal."

My lips curled into a smile and my heart ached a bit to be in her arms at that moment. As much as I prided myself on my independent ways, nothing quite compared to being wrapped in GramMarie's warmth. She was a perfect combination of my father's level-headedness and insightfulness into the human mind and my mother's emotional, heart-on-her-sleeve gusto.

"Emmett's brother? The one I work with? His name is Edward. He's, well, he's perfect for me, GramMarie. Not perfect. I know nobody's perfect, but he and I just seem to get each other. We have spent a crazy amount of time together since we met last Tuesday, and it is like I have known him forever. It's like I have lived here in Forks forever. I just feel so at home here in this house, in this town. I can't explain it. It doesn't make a lick of sense."

Gram listened patiently to me through my babble and then spoke.

"Do you love him?"

"Um, I, uh don't really know…" I stuttered.

"I call bullshit," Gram said. She never was one for mincing words.

"It's just too soon to know, isn't it? I mean, six days? Six days is hardly enough time to know."

"And who told you that? Your friends? Cosmo? Google? I know you, Bella. You research and study and plan everything down to the last detail. And that has its merits. It has served you very well. You have created a fantastic life for yourself. You have seen and done so much in your years that a woman of my time could have only dreamed of."

"Why do I sense a 'but' coming?" I asked with a laugh.

"Because there is! _But_, my darling, there is no perfect amount of time for the heart to fall in love. It doesn't follow your schedule or research or plans. Some believe in love at first sight. Some feel that it takes months or years. You have spent all of this time focusing on things within your control, but Bella Marie, love is no more under our control as any other force of nature."

I knew she was right. I knew that in all of my planning, it was ridiculous to even to try to factor in a relationship, let alone love. But playing things by ear was never my strong suit. Forks and Edward were changing that, though. This past week, I had made more spontaneous decisions in my personal life than I had in a very long time. I smiled as I thought about how good it felt to let go of some of my more rigid instincts when it came to my heart.

"I know you're right, Gram. You always are. I am just so scared to take a chance. What if I get hurt? Mike really hurt me, and I still have six really long months here," I reasoned.

"First of all, Mike wasn't right for you, and if you search, _really _search your heart, you will find that you knew that all along. Use the reason in your noggin that you rely on for everything else and convince yourself that he was part of the journey of your self-discovery. Or you can just think like the rest of us, that he was an arse, not worth your time, and that you are far better without him."

I smiled as I thought about what would have happened had Mike ever met Gram. All within a two-mile radius would have witnessed a fairly awkward situation, Gram being neither subtle norparticularly discriminating with whom she insults. She was right, as usual. I wish we had had this conversation years ago.

"You are correct, oh learned one," I said with a sigh. "Hindsight is always such a bitch, isn't it?"

"Not always, dearie. Sure, it was miserable living through it, but all of that brought you to Edward, right? Tell me more about him. And send me a picture of him, will you? Make an old woman happy while she's playing the back nine down here in the geriatric wonderland of Arizona. I want to fantasize about what beautiful babies you will make."

"Oh, Gram, shut it! It's bad enough that his mom said the same thing this morning at brunch!" I chastised as I clicked away on my laptop, bringing up the files that Alice had sent to me while I napped, and sent a few pictures to my grandmother. "You should have your pictures momentarily, Miss Nosy."

"Goody! I'll go and kick over my machine then. So you and he work together? That should be fun. I hope there isn't one of those silly non-fraternization policies there. That could make things difficult. Ahhh, let's see. Here's your email. Click. Loading… scanning for viruses…and bam! Whoa! Bella Marie! He is handsome! Just adorable! Are those green eyes? And**,** oh my, look at how he is looking at you, honey."

"Gram, please don't show that particular one to Mom, okay? I wanted to show that to you to see what you thought. He tells me what he feels for me is different from anything else he has ever felt, and I can honestly say that it is the same for me. I have only had three boyfriends, and he has only had one girlfriend. We are both pretty driven when it comes to work, but now we are at a point where we want to settle down. We click. There is a lot to discover, but the chemistry**,** or whatever you want to call it**,** is definitely there."

"Are you being safe? Are you being honest with each other? Are you happy?" Gram asked. It was like the trifecta of relationship questions. Someone had been watching too much Dr. Phil.

"Yes to all three," I said as I continued to gaze at the pictures.

"So I don't see what your hang-up is, dearie. You are both consenting adults. Follow your hearts. If it's love, then so be it. If it isn't, then it's not. Nothing worse than a lifetime of wondering 'what if.'"

"I love you, Gram. You might not think that you have helped me much, but sometimes I just need the obvious pointed out to me, you know?"

"I love you too, Bella. Just trust your heart. It knows. Now tell me more about Washington!"

We talked for about another twenty minutes about the house and how Edward was just around the corner and how practically everything else was not. We chatted about everything and nothing. It was wonderful. My grandma was one of the best friends I could ask for. Her honesty cut through a lot of the teen angst that I had and helped me gain perspective as I headed into adulthood. I often heard from various teachers and other adults that I was wise beyond my years, an 'old soul,' or ahigh schooler who had hit middle age about twenty years early. If any of that were true, it was a reflection of the fantastic guidance given to me by GramMarie.

By the time I had finished my call with Gram, it was twenty minutes until Edward was due to arrive. I finished straightening a few things, ran upstairs to check my hair one last time, gave my teeth a quick brushing, and headed for my front porch. My swing was calling to me.

After grabbing my hoodie from the banister, I put my phone into a small tote and stepped onto the porch, locking the door behind me. Focusing on the swing, I couldn't help but smile at what I found. At some point during my nap, a gift had been left for me in a simple red gift bag. I sat down next to it, grinning like a fool, and began to look around as if the person who left it might be watching surreptitiously. I pulled out a hardcover book and opened the enclosed note.

_Dear Bella-_

_I hope you enjoy our Pacific Northwest summer breezes and the company of some local authors! Both are something to be savored on your porch swing._

_Meeting you today was a treat, even if I was, as Edward claims, "out of control" with the mimosas! I look forward to getting to know you better. Please don't be a stranger!_

_Fondly-_

_Esme _

The book was a collection of essays written about the Pacific Northwest. Many looked to be about the Olympic Peninsula and the Native American heritage of the region. It was such a thoughtful gift! When did she have time to drop this by? Good Lord, she was further in the bag than I was! Dr. Carlisle must have some good medicine. All right, that was officially too weird a thought to continue. _Eeew, Bella. Just, eeew! _

As I flipped through the pages of my new book, I looked up to see Edward's car pull around the corner and into my driveway. I stayed where I was, lazily swinging and enjoying the view of Edward coming up my walk.

"Good evening, pretty girl," Edward said with a smile that mirrored my own. I found myself hoping that little things like these smiles would always be a part of 'us,' because they conveyed so much. "What have you got there?"

I looked down in my lap at the book that Esmehad left for me and smiled. "Your mom left me a little something to read on these perfect summer nights when I'll be missing you," I said, holding up the book and patting the space next to me on the swing. He sat down, the swing dipping under his weight and bouncing a little, and kicked us back. In a very smooth move, he then wrapped his arm around my shoulders and kissed my temple, slowly and innocently, but with promise of things to come. It was heaven.

"I don't want you missing me too much, love. Hopefully we can get Glenda to work the schedule to our advantage."

I rested my head on his shoulder as we continued to swing back and forth. "That would be nice, but I don't want special treatment. We'll be fine, sneaking time in supply rooms and call rooms, don't you think?" I asked, giggling.

Edward tightened his arm around my shoulder and buried his face in my neck, his lips doing delicious things to me. It was a warm day out, and the rain earlier in the day had only served to make the day even more humid. I turned my face to his, smiling as I touched our lips together.

"Dr. Cullen, I could stay here all night on this swing with you, making out like a teenage girl, but I believe you promised me a date this evening."

Edward gave me one last lingering, closed mouth kiss, complete with a moan that made my girly bits want to smack my brain around a little for mentioning the date when there was a perfectly good bed waiting upstairs for usto enjoy. That was when he took note of the book that his mother had dropped off for me. He smiled widely.

"I should have known that she would give you a copy of this. It really is quite good. Bring it with us. I'll tell you the story behind it."

I folded the gift bag and put it through the mail slot in the door. The book and the card went into my tote, while my hand slid into Edward's like it had always belonged there. I thought about Gram's advice. Edward _was not_ Mike. Not by a long shot. Taking a deep breath, I squeezed his hand and we made our way to his car.

Ever the gentleman, Edward made sure I was tucked in, buckled into my seat before he shut my door. Then he jogged around to the driver's side. As we headed down the street, we passed Camille at her shop, sweeping the walk in front of the store. Edward gave a friendly tap of his horn as we turned the same way we went this morning when we went to brunch at his parents.

"Is our destination still a mystery?" I asked as I looked at our hands resting comfortably on his thigh. He could have been driving me in circles for all I knew. I was so unfamiliar with my surroundings, and my attention was somewhat diverted from the road as I cataloged how good looking Edward was, wearing his Ray-Bans and the outfit from this morning in which I eye-fucked him in front of his mother. I still had no shame about that. The man looked _good_.

"Yes, it is, although in a minute or two, you will have it figured out. You're a quick study, Swan," Edward said and threw a lopsided smile my way, which made my heart speed up a little. All of these new feelings just felt so good - the smiles, the touches, the adrenaline rush of knowing that he felt the same way. The physical reactions had to be the best, though. After so long of going without, it felt so damn good to _arouse_ and to be _aroused_. And I definitely couldn't wait to do more of that.

We came to a familiar T in the road. A right turn would lead us to Carlisle and Esme's, and a left turn would take us to "The beach! Thank you, thank you, thank you, Edward! I am so excited!" I squealed as I bounced around in my seat.

_**Edward**_

Bella's exuberance was very endearing, and it made me laugh out loud. I was finding that nearly everything she did evoked some sort of emotion from me. Like I admitted to my dad this morning, I was falling fast. His advice? Enjoy it. Be smart and reasonable and mature about things, but enjoy love, because it is a gift. I was beginning to understand what he meant as I spent more time with Bella.

We talked more about our schedules for the week as we made our way the short distance to First Beach. I was on twelve-hournights Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday**,** while Bella had Monday and Tuesday off. She was working a twelve on Wednesday, but the opposite shift from me, so I would just get to see herat the change of shift. We both had Thursday off, but worked twelve-hournights together on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. For night shift, even though the holiday fell on a Monday, for scheduling purposes, Glenda always considered the holiday shift to be the day prior, since typically, you sleep through the actual holiday when you work nights. All in all, I couldn't complain. I was going to be able to see Bella a lot, both at work and at home.

I pulled the car into the parking lot nearest tothe surf as we arrived at First Beach. I noted a few other vehicles parked around us. It seemed the rainy weather had chased people away for the most part; however, it was shaping up to be a glorious evening. The date gods were on my side tonight.

"Are you getting hungry, love? I figured we would havedinner before we explored the beach some. And the clouds have cleared out just in time, so I hope that we can see a spectacular sunset for your first time at the Pacific."

Bella was all smiles as she looked around us, taking in our position slightly above the beach. Off to our right were the cliffs from where the locals liked to dive. I had never been, but had always heard that it was a total rush. I preferred to get my adrenaline going in other ways. To the left, there were tall cliffs and rock walls that seemed to form a bit of a labyrinth through the tidal pools and sand. In front of us were the ocean and a beach strewn with driftwood and other debris from the storms earlier in the day. The sun had warmed the top layers of sand somewhat so that it wasn't totally waterlogged for our picnic. The wonder that shone in Bella's face told me she didn't care one bit, and that sent my heart soaring.

"Can we set up camp and then go exploring a bit?" Bella asked. "I don't care how cold the water is, I want to go wading in the waves!"

"Absolutely! Anything you want, pretty girl," I said, and unlocked the trunk from my place in the driver's seat. Bella had already gotten out of the car, tote bag in hand.

"Oh, look at those little girls playing in the sand! They look so cute! Their daddymade the castle taller than they are!" she giggled. Our beaches weren't made of super fine, luxurious sand, but sandcastles were easily constructed, and apparently, the little girls were in heaven as their father piled buckets-full all around his girls.

Bella and I gathered our provisions from the trunk and made our way down to a spot about thirty yards from the princesses and their castle. Their mother was sitting in a beach chair, heavily pregnant with a rather complicated looking camera, snapping pictures of her family. She looked up from her task and gave a polite wave, then went back to capturing moments.

"How does right here look?" I asked as I turned in a circle.

"Perfect! Where's the blanket? I can spread it out for us," Bella said as she kicked off her shoes and buried her toes in the warm, wet sand. The sun's rays were strong still, and there was little wind to dissipate the humidity of the beach and the storm. I could tell she was itching to go splash like a five year old.

"Well, behold, an Alice Cullen Original. When she was in college, one of her design projects was this beach blanket. But you know Alice. It is not just any blanket. Her brother is an architect, and her mother is an interior designer. So she came up with a blanket made from a waterproof, and more-or-less sand-proof membrane that goes against the sand, and a supple, quick-drying microfiber for the top to sit on. Her lawyer connections helped her get a patent on it, as well as the anchors that secure it to the sand. Voila!" I said with a flourish, and spread our blanket out.

"Alice is amazing. Is there anything that she can't do?"

"She has great difficulty minding her own business," I snarked as I anchored the corners and sides into the wet sand and placed our picnic basket on the edge. After removing my own shoes, I grabbed Bella's hand and bent to her ear.

"You have a five second head start, Swan. If you don't make it to the water before I get to you, you're getting wet."

She blushed slightly as she peered up at me, then raised up on to her tiptoes to whisper back to me, a wicked smile in place.

"You always make me wet, Edward. What are you going to do about it?"

I stood there stunned for about a second as she ran, then laughed loudly as I watched her dash for the waves. This beautiful woman was quickly becoming the focus of my life. There was no fighting it. She made me feel happy and alive. For the first time, I imagined myself having the kind of relationship that my parents had. Smiling, I took off after my girlfriend, grabbing her by the waist as she began to splash in the water. I pulled her body to mine and placed kisses on her neck.

"The water isn't as cold as I thought it'd be! Now I just have the Indian Ocean, the Arctic Ocean and whatever they're calling the ocean down by Antarctica these days to splash in and I will have hit them all!" Bella laughed as I twirled her around, finally sitting her down in the water that was up to her knees. She grasped my hands and we swayed with the waves a bit as they broke gently around our legs.

I knew I shouldn't take it personally, the fact that Bella's mind was always thinking ahead to her next placement, her next job, her next adventure. For so long, that is how she had become accustomed to living. A big part of me, however, wanted her to put down some roots here, only leaving here to travel with me for pleasureand returning to a home that was ours. The thought of her time here being limited was something I that I was going to have to change.

"It must have been fabulous growing up with this so close to you," Bella said as she stayed in my arms, looking over to toward the tidal pools. It looked like the tide was low, so I started walking us toward the steep rock walls where the pools were hidden.

"It was. This part of the country has something for everyone, really. If you are into science, the biodiversity is huge: ocean, river, forest, and mountain. Sportsmen can hike, fish, or surf. Artists can paint or draw. Photographers can do their thing. Writers can just come to commune and find a nice place to get into their zone. There is a huge cultural history with all of the Native American tribes. I never say never, but it would be difficult for me to leave here permanently. College was just about all I could stand. I would have returned to Seattle even if the position here in Forks hadn't opened up," I told Bella honestly as we entered the chasm between two towers of stone, a path of sand our guide through.

"You should write that down for the department of tourism, Cullen, because it sounded pretty convincing. I do see what you mean, though. I was just telling my grandmother that Forks has a bit of a pull on me already. She told me that I need to find a place to settle down and be happy and enough with this running around. To quote her, that aspect of my life is 'played out' and I need to get serious with my living and make a life."

"Wow. She sounds like quite a lady," I said, silently cheering GramMarie and wondering how I could thank her for those words of wisdom.

"I hope you get to meet her, Edward. She's such a hoot. Apparently Jake and Emmett are planning a get together when the Seahawks and Cardinals play this fall, and Leah, Dad, Mom, and GramMarie are coming along for the ride," Bella said with a bit of an eye roll. She squeezed my hand and hopped up onto a rock that brought her face level to mine.

"Oh, I think it would be fun to meet everyone! Even though your father carries a firearm for a living, I'm sure that he and I could find plenty to talk about."

Bella smiled and kissed me softly. The sky was bright behind her, shadowing her face a bit. When she smiled, a few of her freckles kind of merged into a larger one on the bridge of her nose. I loved noticing all of these little details about her, committing them to memory for recall when we were apart, whether it be when our shifts were out of sync or something more distance- inducing.

"Seeing everyone in the fall would probably be a lot of fun, especially if I am not able to get any time off for Thanksgiving. As a traveler, sometimes the holidays are not always afforded to me, which is fine, but since I'm in a new place _every_ holiday, I am always the low man, so no seniority conveys. Some places include me in the regular holiday rotation. I never know. To plan something fun like that here would be really nice."

"I agree. We'll have to ask Emmett what he has been cooking up with Jake. Something tells me that those two could get themselves into a bit of trouble if left to their own devices. I mean, Emmett actually used to email Johnny Knoxville ideas for stunts on_ Jackass_ when we were in college. You'll have to ask him about the time he actually saw the group perform one on the show. It brought a tear to his eye."

I gently tugged on Bella's hand and brought her alongside me as we walked to one of the larger tidal pools. We looked in, noting the brackish water and the sea life within. We kept walking for a few more minutes before turning around, heading back to our spot on the beach where our dinner was waiting for us.

"I want to come back here again! I need to take pictures of the pools and the walls. It's all so beautiful! I have never seen anything like it before. It's like a little hidden treasure trove. I can imagine pirates hiding chests of gold and jewels there," Bella said with the wide eyes of a child as she took her shoes offand lowered herself onto our picnic blanket. I did the same and began to take out our food.

I loaded our plates with cold fried chicken, pasta salad, fresh strawberries and cantaloupe**,** and some cheese and crackers. I figured they would be decent picnic food, and to tell the truth, this was my first time doing anything like this for a woman, so I was a bit clueless. I had brought bottles of water and homemade lemonade. For dessert, I had simple Duncan Hinesbrownies from a box mix. I nervously watched as she began to eat her dinner.

"This chicken is delicious, Edward! Cold fried chicken is one of my favorite things. It reminds me of my dad, of when I was little, and he was working around the clock as a patrol officer. Sometimes Mom and I would meet him for dinner when he worked second shift, a picnic just like this. One of his favorite meals to have was fried chicken, but my mom's is nowhere near this good!"

I smiled as Bella remembered good times with her parents and complimented my culinary skills. The recipe was one I had gotten from my Uncle Adam, the food critic. His shelves were overflowing with countless books, cards, clippings, and scraps of paper with recipes written on them. He loved comfort food; this chicken was at the top of his list and had become a family favorite.

"I will be happy to share the recipe, love. I am so glad that you like everything."

We continued to eat in relative silence, Bella occasionally moaning a little as she savored her food. I may have sat up a little straighter with pride knowing that I had done well. There was a bit of a breeze still blowing in from the ocean, but it was still quite warm. The sun was sinking lower in the sky, and after we packed up the remnants of our meal, I pulled out the brownies.

"Cullen, there is no way I can eat anything else right now. I am stuffed! I'm actually a little embarrassed at how much I ate in front of you. It certainly wasn't ladylike," Bella said as she moved to sit next to me on the blanket. We sat side by side, watching the waves come in while the family that we had seen earlier continued to play in the sand.

Bella stretched out and laid on her side, her head propped on her right hand. It was in irresistible invitation, and I did the same, essentially spooning her as we both took in the world around us. There wasn't anything overly sexual about our position, but it felt intimate. It felt right. I brought my left hand up to her shoulder and lightly drew it down her arm until I found her fingers. She tangled hers with mine and drew them to her stomach, holding us together.

It was several minutes before she broke the comfortable silence.

"That couple has a beautiful family. Have you noticed the way the he is the moon and the stars to them? To all of them? And even though the wife is fifty feet away, there is nothing that could ever break the bond she has with her husband. The candid photographs she is taking must be reflecting so much love and adoration. It's touching." Bella's voice was soft, with just a hint of longing.

"The way they act, they remind me of my parents," I said as I lightly brushed her stomach with my fingers. "Even now, after thirty-five years of marriage, there is still that connection. I have been fortunate to have such great role models."

Bella turned her face back to mine and smiled as she placed a lingering kiss on my lips.

"You know, my parents broke up for a while. I was about seven," Bella said after we parted and she settled once again against my chest. "I was crushed, thinking it was something that I had done. Typical kid stuff, you know? GramMarie was a big help. It was summer, and I stayed with her most of the time while Charlie and Renee worked things out. It wasn't a matter of infidelity or anything like that. They just lost their connection for a while, as my mom tells it, and they had to find their way again."

I squeezed Bella gently as she relived her sad times. I couldn't even fathom my parents splitting up, even temporarily for a summer. It was as strange to me as a purple sun or a whale in the sky.

"And how _did_ they find their way? Obviously they did."

Bella's smile grew out of her solemn face. "GramMarie told them that if they had decided to split eight years prior, she would have been upset, but she would have gotten over it. However, with a child in the picture, they owed it to me to try like hell to fix things. And truly, not much was broken. Communication failure, taking the time to realize that the most important relationship was the marriage, not the parenting. It wasn't some great, epiphanic moment where Renee and Charlie ran toward each other, arms outstretched."

Bella laughed aloud to herself then.

"You will understand when you meet Charlie. He is definitely not an emotional guy. I think he has only run toward the refrigerator with his arms outstretched for a beer."

"So you spent a summer with GramMarie, and your parents figured out how to keep it together?"

"Yep. Mom quit teaching until I hit high school. Dad made detective a few years after that summer with GramMarie, so his schedule became a little more predictable, and things were a little less stressful for my mom, since he wasn't on patrol and in the line of fire all of the time. They have their moments just like any other couple, but I think for the most part, the separation really helped them to refocus on them. They are stronger having gone through it."

"How many people can say that?" I pondered aloud. I knew that the statistics for divorce among physicians was higher than among the general public. The thought of not committing to something as permanent as marriage was unacceptable to me. The woman I married was going to be it for me. I looked at Bella, knowing that she was special, thinking that she could even possibly be The One. It didn'teven scare me one bit to admit that to myself.

The family we had been watching continued to enjoy their evening as well. The girls were kicking a ball across the uneven sand, while their parents watched from the blanket where the mother sat between her husband's legs, her body leaning back into his chest while he caressed her swollen belly.

"Do you want children, Edward?" Bella asked abruptly.

I pressed my nose into her neck and hummed a bit. The question caught me a bit off guard, but there was practically nothing I wouldn't share with Bella.

"Yes, very much so. I hope that I can have a houseful of them," I admitted softly. "I know that's not the typical male response, but I love kids. Their optimism and ability to love so honestly without prejudice is so refreshing. Who wouldn't want to come home to that after a hard day at the hospital?"

"Cullen, I knew you were a big softie!" Bella said, turning her body so that she was facing me, fitting our fronts together as they were made to be, her leg slightly hitched over mine, her petite frame cradled by my larger one.

"What about you, Bella? Kids?" I asked, silently hoping that our views on the subject were the same.

"Oh, I don't think I'll be having eight or anything, but I'm not opposed to three or four. Being an only child was a bit lonely at times. I look at your family, like at brunch this morning, and the controlled chaos was thrilling. Your mother looked like she was happy to have a houseful of people to dote on. I look forward to that one day. Big holiday gatherings, birthdays, impromptu sleepovers, teenage boys running amok. I know I am romanticizing it a bit, but that all sounds heavenly to me. Someday."

Bella's eyes searched mine, as if looking for those very same visions. I hoped that she was able to see them.

We sat for a few more minutes, just cuddling as the waves crashed, before deciding that it was time to tackle the brownies.

"Thank you so much, Edward, for all of this. It has been a most extraordinarydate. I can't remember the last time I had so much fun!"

"It has truly been my pleasure, sweet girl," I said, cupping her cheek and kissing her. She slowly took my bottom lip between hers and nibbled gently. I savored the flavor of Bella and chocolate as I coaxed her mouth open with my tongue. Remembering that we were in public with small children nearby, I kept my kisses as PG-13 as I could. We kissed and ate brownies as the sun continued its slide into the sea. The family we had shared the beach with packed their things and left us, the only people on the beach to witness a spectacular sunset.

"This is really why I brought you here, Bella," I whispered in her ear as I sat behind her with my arms wrapped around her snugly. "One of my favorite things is seeing the sun drop below the horizon. One second it's there, the next, it's gone. When I was little, it would worry me so much that I would beg my parents to wake me for the sunrise the next morning."

"The colors are breathtaking, Edward," Bella sighed.

As the last of the sun dipped below the Pacific, Bella turned to face me, straddling my hips as my leg remained in a V.

"Thank you for sharing your sunset with me, Edward," she said, resting her forehead on mine.

I pulled back a bit and smiled. I searched Bella's eyes, taking in the lovely brown with their flecks of topaz and umber. I heard my dad's voice telling me that love is a gift. And if my job had taught me anything about life, it was that the next day wasn't guaranteed. While we might not be ready for declarations of love quite yet, I did feel comfortable with what my heart was telling my head to say.

"I'd share anything with you, sweet girl," I said as I brushed my hand across her cheek, stroking my thumb across her lower lip.

"I feel the same way, Edward. Talking withGramMarie today was just what I needed. She helped me to realize something."

Bella smiled and ran her hands up my arms lightly, resting them on my shoulders.

"Have you seen the picture that Alice took of us? The one where you're looking at me? I showed it to GramMarie. She thinks you are the bee's knees, by the way."

I let out a laugh and placed a peck on her nose. "I guess all the Swan women have a soft spot for me, yeah?"

"Very funny, Cullen. I suspect that's true. Actually, she helped me to understand that even though our time together has been short, it does not mean that the feelings I have for you are any less significant than if I had been here for a year. You know the picture I'm talking about, don't you?"

I grinned at Bella because Alice had sent me the pictures as well. In the photograph, the silly smile on Bella's face was the result of me asking her if she ever went naked under her personalized Snuggie. We had been bantering and flirting back and forth, and I remember thinking, at the same time the flash went off, that she and I just clicked so well. We worked well together, as was demonstrated by the rather urgent nature in the delivery of Janie's baby. My friends and family liked her. There was something familiar about the way we acted. It reminded me of my parents. When that flash went off, I remember thinking that maybe, just perhaps my search could be over, and that my soulmate could be right in front of me.

"I know the picture. I like that picture very much."

"I think about you all the time, Edward. I enjoy talking to you. I look forward to working with you. Your touch makes me feel things I have never felt," Bella said with a shy smile and the pretty blush that had won my heart. She then looked at me, speaking in a hushed but sure voice, "It is most definitely not a part of my plan, but I am falling in love with you, Edward. That plan of mine is irrelevant."

All I could do was smile at her for what seemed like forever. I must have looked like an idiot.

"Are you going to say anything, Cullen? It's kind of rude to leave a girl hanging after she bares her soul like that."

I leaned in and kissed her lips. "Oh, Bella, my pretty girl. How is it that I found you? I can't stop thinking about you either. Leaving your side today so that you could rest tested my will. I find myself wanting to know everything about you, and I know that six months isn't going to be nearly long enough for me." I took a deep breath, but I wasn't nervous about what I was about to say. It just felt right. "This is love, isn't it? I mean, I have never been in love, and I have never felt so strongly about anyone. Even the feelings I had for Tanya were different. I feel so many emotions with you, Bella, and they all seem to overwhelm my heart, in the best possible way. Is that love? Do you feel that too?"

Bella was smiling, and then she placed her hands gently on my face, looking into my eyes.

"That is a perfect way to describe it, Edward. My heart is very full. And I'm tired of wondering if it's too soon, or what others will think. It's not like I wasn't happy before I got here, because I was. But I just feel like that little piece that was missing for so long found his way to me," she said.

"Yup. I won't pull any of that 'You complete me' bullshit, but you kinda do, Swan. It's all girly and embarrassing." She inched her hands up into my hair, scratching my scalp and making me feel amazingly relaxed and horny at the same time.

We stayed there like that, kissing on the beach blanket as the waves crashed and the daylight slipped farther into dusk. I can't remember the last time I enjoyed myself so thoroughly with my clothes on. The temperature began to cool somewhat; the breeze picked up, and Bella began to shiver. It was time to pack up and bring our evening at the ocean's edgeto a close.

"This has been such a wonderful night, Edward. I hope we can spend a lot of our free time here. There is so much to explore!

We stood and shook out the blanket and folded it, packing it into its pouch. I wrapped my arms around Bella as she stood taking in the sight of the surf one last time. The wind had blown her ponytail away from her neck, inviting me to kiss up and down her skin. These weresimple, sweet moments, full of promise.

"Edward," Bella said in a dreamy voice as she leaned into me, her ass ever so lightly rubbing my groin.

"Mmmhmm?" I answered, continuing to nip and kiss, now behind her ear, trying to see if my voice and my mouth could drive her crazy being that close to her ear.

"Are you going to say it first?"

I froze. Then the sappiest, most wonderful thought entered my mind. I had never told another woman that I loved her, other than family or as a friend. I turned her in my arms, and then spread my legs a bit, lowering my height so that I could look her in the eyes. She was smiling a huge smile that I couldn't help but match.

"Are you going to say it first?"

I froze. And then the sappiest, most wonderful thought entered my mind. I had never told another woman that I loved her, other than family or as a friend. I turned her in my arms, and then spread my legs a bit, lowering my height so that I could look her in the eyes. She was smiling a huge smile that I couldn't help but match.

"I love you, Bella Swan. God, it feels so good to say that!" I said with a laugh as I grinned at my girl in the waning light, the stars popping through the fabric of the night sky.

"And I love you, Edward Cullen."


End file.
